Red Dawn
by JAM11
Summary: Edward had always warned Bella that the pack were dangerous. Hostile, volatile and aggressive in nature. She ignored him, testing even Edward's own vampire instinct by staying friends with his enemy, Jacob. One event will change them all, Bella never truly understood the supernatural world, the reality of a vampire protecting his mate. WARNING: Character Deaths, Violence.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey all, it's been a long time since I've written anything but this idea came to me recently and I've wanted to give it a try and get myself back into writing again. It's not going to be your typical twilight story and I warn you it's going to be darker then some may like, so be warned all of you. It's picking up before the plans for dealing with Victoria and the Newborns have been put in place during Eclipse. Other then that I really do hope you guys like what I've got and that you end up sticking around while I get about writing this story. I'm going to try and post at least once a week though I can't set a day I hope to be able to keep to an update a week.**

 **I'd like to say a huge Thank You to my Beta _The Overambitious Dreamer_ who has been a massive help with my work, with me being still a little rusty. So thank you.**

 **Without boring you I'll let you get to the story hope you all enjoy.**

 **RED DAWN**

 **SUMMARY: ** Edward had always warned Bella that the pack were dangerous. Hostile, volatile and aggressive in nature. She ignored him, testing even Edward's own vampire instinct by staying friends with his enemy, Jacob. One event will change them all, Bella never truly understood the supernatural world. Didn't understand the aggression that lay dormant even in her controlled mate until it was too late. Warning: Violence and Character death.

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the Characters.**

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 **Chapter One**

Edward could not understand how she could possibly do this to him again.

He'd been standing on the borderline that split the treaty line between where his family's land and La Push's land was. He'd asked her, all but begged Bella to not go to La Push; that it wasn't safe for her there. He knew she didn't want to listen, but he'd hoped. Hoped, just this once, that she'd actually listen to him, and refrain from visiting her friend. Even in his own mind the word 'friend' came in a tone that was violent and hissed. It was the wrong way to explain that odd relationship she had with the mutt. After all, how could a friendship work when one of the members wanted more than just friendship, when he would manipulate any given situation to keep her close to him? He'd tried to explain it to her but for some reason the moment he addressed it, it was like Bella completely forgot that he could hear the thoughts of her friend. He'd tried to be understanding of the friendship at first, after all Edward was more than willing to accept his fault in the entire situation. He'd left his true love to protect her from the supernatural world, and had all but destroyed them all in his desire to protect her, and of course the danger magnet (as he'd affectionately dubbed her) had found a pack of wolves to befriend in his absence. There was also the bitter reality that the mutt had been there for her in her time of need when he'd been the one to hurt her; he hated feeling indebted to the deceitful manipulative child but the pack had saved Bella from Laurent and ruined Victoria's attempts.

He'd offered his appreciation to the child and only received taunting insults and forced images of his twisted thoughts on how he'd kill Edward and take Bella for himself. Edward, who had garnered the respect from some of the most powerful immortals in this world - even Aro, of the Volturi who ruled the vampire world - desired him even in his millennia in age.

And there he was swallowing down the insults of a child.

His love for Bella was never meant to be a weakness, and yet each moment he left her mortal and allowed this friendship, it seemed to only make him feel pathetic. He held his patience, he swallowed his pride and he accepted that Bella wanted to keep her friendship with the pack and all the while knowing it was really only Jake she was attempting to keep in her life. She allowed for a hostile shifter to court her attention all in Jacob hopes that she'd succumb to him and leave the bloodsucker with no one. This, however, would perhaps be the last straw. He'd been putting together a logical argument for days to approach her with one to finally make her see sense. He'd tried to convince her of the danger before. That hadn't worked, but he wasn't surprised. After all, he'd once tried to warn her of the danger he posed to her but it had fallen on deaf ears. Isabella would have to finally accept her choice. She wanted to be Switzerland but that wasn't possible. She'd set the date for her transformation, made the choice to be with Edward forever. There was no fence sitting in the world of supernatural. She wanted to be a Cullen, therefore she accepted that the Cullens were not friends with the pack; she'd remain off the lands that the Cullens had agreed to stay away from all those years ago. His time of sitting back and allowing her to use the fact he'd hurt her by leaving as a way to get what she wanted was over, he could no longer sit back and allow such disrespect to him and the bond they shared. He didn't doubt her love, but he was under no illusion that she was still punishing him. Wasn't this exactly what she was doing? After all, she was testing boundaries, forcing him into this situations where he was concerned and worried, with no way of keeping her safe.

It also didn't help his patience having the wolves watching him. It was humiliating as he listened to the thoughts of Paul and Embry. Both had stationed themselves a few miles from his position. They knew he could read minds but he doubted Bella had ever truly known the extent of his ability. So, these wolves believed their thoughts safe where they stood and yet Edward could hear the mumbled sound of thoughts in Forks and La Push. The wolves underestimated the strength of the Cullen family because of the constant forced pleasantries Carlisle had demanded. He, too, had made them all look weak to these immature wolves. Ephraim Black had been a man, mature and intelligent; he'd also been terrified of the Cullens. He'd fought vampires and knew the reality of what the numbers meant. No single wolf could fight a single vampire; they attacked in packs or pods of no less than two to ensure they could fight a vampire. These children had attacked Laurent and killed him, he'd been unaware of what they were and was not talented in any sense in fighting or combat. There had also been five wolves. They had killed him relatively simply because of the numbers and Laurent's lack of knowledge on them. That victory had tainted their belief in vampire ability. Ignorant and naive, just like the children they were, they believed themselves faster than us and yet Edward knew from their minds he could out run them all. Even Emmett, the slowest of our family would not struggle remaining ahead of this pack.

" _Freaky, leech just standing there still waiting. I just wish...wish he_ _'_ _d step one foot past the line. I_ _'_ _d rip his head from his shoulders quicker than he could blink_." Paul's thoughts were loud and antagonistic like most of the pack and yet he held an aggression much crueler then the others'. He accepted that he was allowed to be angry because he was a wolf, like it was a good enough excuse to give for any outburst he had since his transformation.

" _Wouldn_ _'_ _t want Jake to be jealous_ _..._ _everyone knows he wants to tear this guy up. If he_ _'_ _d sack up and just challenge him then he wouldn_ _'_ _t be playing stupid games to keep Bella around_." Edward listened more intently at the mention of Bella but it was clear from his thoughts and images that he'd seen Bella and Jake in his garage working on the stupid bikes before he'd left with Paul.

It was then that Edward's phone buzzed in his pocket. His hand was almost in the pocket of his jeans at the exact moment he saw another set of thoughts in the shared link of Paul and Embry. Edward could see instantly that it was Jacob Black's mind.

The complete tinge of rage in his mind shocked both boys. It only took Edward a second to see what Paul and Embry hadn't in Jake's mind. Jake's thoughts still channelled with outrage. He had shifted in the garage.

Edward couldn't see yet what Bella had said to him, but it had set off his shift and he'd been far too close to her as he'd been holding her arms tightly when he'd shifted. He'd lost control, he'd lost control while she was within arms distance of him. She had refused to step away when he'd told her and he'd savagely shifted. Edward watched the memory of her scream of the sound and feel of skin ripping under his claws as he lashed out against her. Edward was already moving before he watched her fragile body hit the ground. He'd already leapt the advancing attack of Embry and Paul when he watched her blood spatter against the wall through Jake's eyes. Edward felt a deep rage within him, like it had been there already to snap as he swept through the forest, all but sending a loud whistling sound to those close as he burst through the wooded area that lead to the small house of the Black family.

Her fragrance so strong and lulling around the small clearing of the area, and he could see her body unmoving her blood. The very blood that had tortured him, spilling into the ground. Her heart beating but so very faintly. Then he saw Jacob Black.

He had heard from both Paul and Embry that Edward was coming. They were far behind but would be here soon enough to help Jake destroy him. They had all but forgotten about Isabella, Edward's mate, the other part of his soul. Those who claimed to protect human life would let her bleed out. A boy who claimed to love her would choose to fight Edward before getting her help.

Edward's mind snapped.

The roar that left his lips in that moment chilled even the arrogant child in front of him as he saw Edward finally for what he was. Black eyed, hair windswept, a face twisted in rage he saw the vampire. He lunged, but Edward was faster.

These children knew little of a real vampire. They had failed to take Victoria, had beaten the weak Laurent. But Edward was a different foe. The wolf body was not built to battle alone, so large and yet vulnerable to attack. Yes, it was true that the pack healed exceptionally fast, but with lack of time and in the throes of battle there was no time to heal or dwell on pain. Edward was the ultimate predator, he restrained from hunting humans but unlike some of his family for a time he had embraced the hunter in him. He had even had to defend his prey from other vampires, his speed and the ability to read minds all added up to make Edward a violent and formidable enemy. Jasper, the most advanced in the art of fighting could not even best Edward. Emmet with all his strength could not pin Edward. Aro did not want Edward for simply his gift; he desired Edward for the entirety that he could become, should he turn away from the animal diet he chose to keep.

Perhaps Jacob would have had a chance against Edward. Had Edward been of right mind. He over thought things and never desired to upset Bella, and it would have made him second guess himself fighting the child but this wasn't Edward sane. This was the monster Edward fought against every day, the instinctual part of him he named the monster, the part of him that made him believe he was soulless and damned. This was not the vampire Jacob Black was prepared for, he was not prepared to fight a century old experienced vampire who was fighting to protect his mate. For all his bravado and arrogance, the battle was over before it began. Jacob lunged, his large body making it easy to pick parts to harm. Edward moved so fast, just at the right time. Jacob went to snap his large canines at him, exposing his neck. Edward didn't wait. He slammed his hand deep into the large neck of Jacob, his skin still fragile, still very mortal, and he reached deep into the frantic child and took hold of his neck. With one squeeze of the strength Edward normally controlled he pulverised the bone in his neck completely, and then for a brief second, Edward listened to the sounds of the boy's mind slowly fade away as his body shifted back to human. Then Edward dropped him.

The grotesque angle of Jake's head and large hand shaped wound in the side of his neck revealing his spine and tissue showed him to be dead. Not even the shifters could heal from such a savage attack.

There was a dark side to Edward's natural instincts that wanted him to further disgrace the body of one who had so arrogantly been sure he'd defeat the century old vampire. He'd barely lasted a second in a true fight with an immortal that had dark intentions for him, so sure was he of his ability he forgot the reason why wolves hunted in packs. The treaty had never been put in place to protect the Cullen family; of course they had wanted peace between them but it had been Ephraim's only choice. If he'd denied the treaty and then tried to fight them then with his pack of only three it would have been a slaughter. This pack had more within it and yet were so naively foolish they didn't see their enemy clearly. Edward could hear the howl of Embry and Paul, both shocked and in grief at what had happened, both still confused and enraged. They couldn't believe Edward had been so fast to out run them with such ease but then they had witnessed the confrontation through the shared link. They too had shared in the fading of Jacob's mind and suffered his pain as Edward had killed him and they for the first time doubted they had what it would take to fight this immortal. They had mocked and taunted him endlessly and only now were the once naive children being awoken to the reality of what the vampire kind were truly capable of. Had they ignored the tales their people spoke about the cold ones so deeply that they had chosen to ignore the legend of the third wife? The female vampire had devastated them before the human had sacrificed her own life to protect a shifter. Edward was not going to be distracted by blood though. For so long he had feared his instincts, the dormant monster, and what it would mean for Bella. The monster didn't desire to harm her any more than Edward had. Both loved her, both of them wanted her, both would be ruined without her and for the first time in the depths of his own sanity, Edward felt himself thanking the monster for protecting his love. He had accepted the monster's place in his life and it was like a binding had broken over him; he was suddenly so much more free in his own being.

Edward realised that he could continue to keep track of Bella's heartbeat while the monster took charge of the coming fight, his deepest desire was to help Bella. He couldn't move her, though, without care, and right now he was on enemy land and had provoked a war. He'd need to survive the fight with two more mutts before he could get Bella to Carlisle. Her heart while still beating, but was far too weak to begin the change. It shocked Edward to his core how little he suddenly cared for her humanity when faced with the real possibility of her dying. He'd hand over her soul to the devil himself if he could just keep her, he'd swear to carry the burden of all sins of this world in his eventual demise if he was just allowed to keep her forever. There was no punishment he wouldn't suffer to have her. No obstacle he wouldn't endure to love her, a century of this life alone with his gifts had been a curse for Edward, his self loathing and hatred of his own desires and the sins he'd committed, and yet in this moment he'd promise more devastation to whoever took her from him; if there was a god, Edward knew that should he lose Bella in this moment he'd turn the world to ash in his need for vengeance for having her taken from him.

Paul and Embry broke through the tree line, their large bodies knocking aside trees and colliding together slightly in their urgency to get to Edward. He watched them intently. Paul and Embry, too, paused briefly seeing Jacob dead at Edward's feet, they knew something was deeply different about the vampire they had mocked only moments before. The arrogance of youth had finally left and now Edward stood blocking the sight of Bella still on the ground from their view. Edward didn't wait this time. He was the first to move. Years of having access to Jasper's mind, the most skilled fighter Edward had ever come across in the immortal world, gave him strategy that these children would not know. They'd been preparing for the dangers of Victoria, and the Cullen family had taken training themselves seriously. Had it not only been days ago that Jasper had made the mental musing about Edward. He'd heard his battle scarred warrior of a brother muse of the idea of how easily battles would have been won in the South with Edward present. Of course, Jasper had layered ways to try and use Edward's own thought process and forced control against him, but Jasper had seen in Edward something not even Carlisle had ever been willing to see. Jasper, an immortal that had spent so much time around the truly evil of their kind, had seen while sparring with Edward the true depths of Edward's darkness; a century of bitterness and anger, a self loathing that had been so evident but even in that, Jasper had felt such anger in his brother it had made him stumble. Edward hated everyone. It had disturbed Jasper for a moment when he'd truly seen Edward's hate for the first time.

Jasper had then, as his mind was vulnerable and open with Edward pinning him to the ground, said what Edward had always believed, what Edward had even heard from Aro's own mind in Volterra. It would have been so easy for Edward to become one of the most deadly of them all, with his speed and mind reading he'd always be a step ahead. He'd always be able to react just quick enough. Had they all not witnessed the countless times Edward had even managed to somehow beat Alice who saw the future? Even with her gift of visions, Alice was hard pressed to best Edward. Jasper knew that behind Edward's held control and restraint laid a dormant beast, not the monster of his thirst but one created in anger. Finally that side of Edward was being recognised as he attacked Embry and Paul.

The two of them were better suited to fight Edward, though there were two of them they used the same manoeuvres that Ephraim had trained into his own men. It was old, yet still affective when they had numbers, and Edward could see in that moment as he dipped and slashed down Embry's side and cracked the boy's hind leg joint that against any normal vampire it may have been enough. They weren't accustomed to dealing with the gifted of the vampire kind. Hadn't Aro shown just how effective those gifted in immortal life were in the world? He'd created an entire ruling guard with the talents he desired to have him remain in power. Edward found that while the shared link was somewhat of a hindrance to him, it was even more so to the pack. Pain clouded a person's mind and here as Edward sank his teeth into Paul's neck ripping the chunk from the crook of his neck, he felt the moment that the poisonous venom seeped into Paul's system and then watched as Embry stumbled under the agony of it. A shared mind. They were still not completely used to it. While Edward had shared the minds of all around him for a hundred years, he was used to not having the silence of only his thoughts. What had once been agony for Edward was now becoming a weakness for the wolves as Paul now lay in human form, his body twisted and mangled over his shoulder, a large chunk of flesh missing from Edward's bite.

Edward left him to die slowly; he didn't offer the angry child mercy even in his pleading. Edward left Paul in pain on the ground as he moved slowly, stalking Embry. This boy couldn't understand the pain that had filled his head and while now the shared mind was gone because Paul was once again human, the hint of thoughts had remained in this boy. Embry's wolf form was cowered and weak, his mind scared and frantic, finally showing the true reality of them being children. This didn't slow Edward advancing on him. Embry didn't even have it in him to defend himself. He was there, a defenceless child who had believed himself indestructible. Edward moved to Embry slashing his fingers across the muzzle of the child. The thick large gashes ripped open over his face as the wolf whimpered and Embry's mind cried.

"You will let them know," Edward hissed, gripping the thick skin of Embry's wolf underbelly, lifting the large wolf easily over his head, "You will live to tell the tale of what was done here. Never again will you cross me, mutt. You harmed my mate. That shall never be forgiven. Consider the treaty broken!" Edward roared, then brought the wolf down forcefully and drove his knee into the spine. Horrendously folding the large body of Embry over his knee and felt the satisfying crunch and rip of his back being broken and muscle tearing from bone. Embry's mind only registered the pain and then the complete numbness of his lower half as his body shifted and then hit the soft ground. Edward could see every step he took away from Embry in the boy's mind. His fear was something he reveled in. Edward had never been one to play with his food even when he hunted humans, but here playing with this child, his body broken laying naked by the dead. He knew this would awaken this child for the rest of his existence. Embry would be haunted by this night and perhaps finally the pack would see what Ephraim had all those decades ago; the treaty hadn't been placed to keep the Cullen's safe from the pack, it had been in place to keep the pack safe from the Cullen's.

Edward moved then, and was at Bella's side, crouched over her broken body and couldn't help the dry sob that rocked through his own body in despair at the sight of her. Her blood had soaked through her clothing was covering her. She had never been more fragile, not even when James had harmed her. Now he could see that she was dying. Her heart too weak to change her, he wasn't sure if her body would even be able to handle the venom as it was now. While venom could heal much, the heart still had to be strong enough to pump the venom through her body. This time for the first time, Edward did not decide to not change her for her soul, but simply because he didn't believe she would survive it now. She had to be healed, then Carlisle would need to fix her and then once she was strong enough, once her heart and body could handle it, he would do it himself. Too long they'd played games and risked it all by holding out; he'd been a fool to ever believe he could keep her human. There was no existence for him without her and she'd made her choice. All those arguments now seemed wrong to him as he slowly moved his broken mate into his arms and lifted her gently.

"Shush Bella, I have you. I'll protect you, my love, just hold on a little longer please." Edward murmured into her forehead as she whimpered at the jostling of her body. Her blood tainted his lips as he kissed her skin and even the taste did nothing for him in that moment. He tasted his singers blood on his lips and it changed nothing. So foolish he had been, so scared of his instincts. Wasn't it, too, an instinct to protect your mate? His monster did not wish her death even if their body called for the blood.

Edward did not give the grounds a second look. Three bodies; two dead, the third broken beyond repair, waiting to give the message of what had happened. Edward had broken the treaty he'd helped make. They had forced his hand though not only the wolves but Bella also. He had also not helped matters nor had Carlisle. A war was coming for his family now, not only the one that was being led by Victoria, but he knew that Sam would have no choice but to avenge the fallen of the pack. It wouldn't matter to them that Jacob had harmed Bella, it wouldn't matter if he'd simply been crossing the treaty line to save her; members of the tribe were dead at his hand. Edward felt no guilt or remorse. Jake had hurt her. His death had to happen. Paul and Embry had then wanted to defend their lands. He hadn't broken everything to not save Bella so both had to be stopped. Paul was dead now no doubt, the venom killing him slowly, and Embry would remain as he was now. The wolf part of him would not heal his shattered spine. Children had tried to play war and they had lost. Edward couldn't find it in himself to care. Not as he held his reason for existence in his arms, not as she still bled out and her heart slowed.

Edward had never moved faster than he had in that moment as he cleared across the space between the two lands, his phone still buzzing in his pocket but forgotten. Alice had no doubt seen him vanish from her vision. He wondered if she could see him now with his broken mate in his arms. He hoped she had and that she'd removed the family because he couldn't bear having to defend her from his family too. Not again.

"Carlisle!" Edward cried as he broke into the area around his home and saw as Carlisle moved out of the front door, eyes worried and his thoughts quick and frantic. So relived was Edward that Alice had seen enough to have Jasper, Emmet and Esme removed from the house. He needed Carlisle and Rosalie now, more then he'd ever needed them before.

"Carlisle," Edward repeated as he moved to him cradling Bella in his arms and looking at his father of over a century, his eyes pleading with the man who created him, and Carlisle could see that Edward's eyes were red and for a moment believed maybe Edward had attacked Bella. Edward's eyes weren't red from his mate's blood though. No, his once golden eyes had changed the moment he'd lingered on his bite of Paul. They were shifters, but blood still ran through them and just that little taste (even foul as it had been) had been enough to change the colouring of Edward's eyes.

"Save her," Edward demanded, his chest panting even though unneeded as he forced himself to offer Bella towards Carlisle. He wanted nothing more than to hold onto her forever but now he needed his father's more experienced hands to heal her broken body. "Save her please. Her heart, it's too weak to change." Edward continued and sobbed out again. Carlisle didn't waste any time as he took Bella from his son and blurred into the house. Rosalie had already set up an appropriate area, Carlisle's equipment out and ready to help the task at hand.

Edward tried to ignore the thoughts of both Rosalie and Carlisle as they took in what had happened to Bella, he tried to ignore the visual of the long slashes cut into her once flawless soft skin. Thick garish cuts that ran down her body and neck. One had caught the side of her face, he didn't care if she was scared he just wanted her alive. He didn't care if she had an extra finger and webbed feet, he'd love her forever and now even as he listened to Carlisle and Rosalie work on her he found himself offering a soul he had before believed he'd never had.

"Edward, you should go. This can't be easy. Her blood. Your eyes son?"

There was a question in his thoughts and words. Carlisle wasn't sure what had happened, he believed Bella was in La Push. He didn't understand how she'd become injured like this, or how Edward had killed a human, drank their blood. Carlisle hadn't wanted to believe what the depths of his mind feared.

"He hurt her. For all the times she swore he'd never hurt her, for all the times I begged and she refused he finally did it." Edward whispered harshly, his eyes turning from bright ruby red to black in only a brief instant as he looked at Carlisle.

"What did you do?" it was Rosalie who spoke out this time as she hooked Bella up to a machine and then came around to her brother, standing before him. For all the years of hostility between them, they truly did love each other as brother and sister, and she knew, knew beyond any doubt that control she'd taunted him about for decades had come to an end here today. She had never wanted Bella in the family, not for Edward to be hurt, but because she'd wanted the girl to have the options in this life that she'd lost due to becoming a vampire. She'd known the change in Edward just as deeply as Esme and Carlisle. It had been the four of them for a time, she had known finding love would change him. She'd witnessed that already now she feared his love may break him.

"Too long I've had to accept it all. The disrespect, the taunting. They come to Forks, our land, and we are held to rules still. Even Bella forcing me to be civilised while that mongrel pursued her and held nothing but hostility for me." Edward found his anger building. Jacob's death had been too fast. He'd wanted to torture the child, make him beg for death before he gave it to him.

"Edward." Carlisle whispered shocked at his son

"She promised me she'd not visit him and then she went. She waited until I was hunting to go to La Push, and now look at her!" Edward cried out, pointing at her body as Carlisle sewed the deep cuts over her body closed, stabilising her with a speed and skill far beyond any normal doctor.

"She ignored my every desire, punished me for leaving her to protect her after her birthday. She never believed me, not about my kind and not about the _fucking_ dogs and now she's like this. I killed him. I crossed that treaty line like they have countless times and I killed that child, then I killed another and then I broke a third, and I swear I'll kill every single one of them. She wanted to play with her safety, she didn't believe what laid hidden inside. The monster is me and she is mine. I would turn this world to ash before I allowed her to die, not a soul on this earth would live if I had lost her!" Edward screamed out, unhinged, his anger at them all and even himself becoming too much for him to handle. He'd remained silent in his battling and killing of the dogs but now in the safety of his home, words left his lips and he didn't hold back.

"Edward! Please, son, control yourself!" Carlisle hissed firmly at Edward as he worked on Bella, and Edward felt so much, and he knew he had to leave. He needed Jasper now. Even in his anger he knew he could offer no help to Bella. He couldn't trust himself to work on his mate and remain balanced enough, but he didn't want to leave her either.

"Go Edward. Find Emmet and Jasper hunt. Carlisle and I will make sure your Bella has the best care possible." Rosalie said, gently placing a hand on her brother's chest, and it was one of those too rare moments where the two understood each other. Would she not have done the same for Emmet? Would she have not reacted in the exact same way? They were very similar in many ways. It had been the reason they would have never worked as a match together but they really were brother and sister.

"If anything..." Edward was cut off by both of them thinking that Alice would know the second anything happened right now. Both needed to concentrate on Bella. Edward needed to be with the others to ensure they knew that he'd shattered the treaty and that now they had more enemies then just an army of newborns being sent by the ever elusive Victoria. They would be fighting two wars now. He'd made their lives so much more complicated but he couldn't regret it, not even now in his more logical controlled sense he didn't find any guilt at the deaths, at the killing of two boys and the life he'd ruined in Embry. He'd been brutal and evil but they'd taunted a monster. They'd always looked for a reason to fight the Cullen family, now they had one, and were down three wolves. He doubted Sam would be preparing yet for a war. They'd be in mourning and the fact Edward had been able to best three wolves alone would show Sam just what could happen should he show up unprepared. He'd come though, of that Edward was absolutely certain.

Edward moved to Bella's still body, her heartbeat slower than he was used to and gently, with a heartbreaking tenderness, caressed along her unharmed cheek and brushed his lips against her forehead. He wondered if she'd resent him for all he'd done, if she'd see him for a monster now that he'd allowed himself free of the restraints he'd kept in place. He'd killed two men to save her and yet he'd killed them for himself too. He loved her more than life itself. He'd wanted to die when he had believed she had killed herself, had been ready to provoke the Volturi to attack him so he could be with her. Did she still doubt his love? Couldn't she see how broken he was every time she turned away from him, every time she questioned his feelings?

"I love you." Edward whispered against her warm forehead, moving up and looking down at her, his eyes closing in sorrow at her appearance, already so blind to her beauty he feared her reaction to seeing what he knew would soon enough be scars. She would always be beautiful to him, she would always be everything he ever wanted and one day once she was strong enough he'd change her. Her scars would fade and then they would move on from this, forget that there had ever been a wolf who she had trusted and who had harmed her and died for his crime, even if she didn't see it that way.

Edward struggled with himself as he stepped away from the room and was aware enough to change his clothes and burn them in the fire in the living room on his exit. He felt himself almost buckle when he heard the sound of her heart even out slightly and looked to the sky as if to thank God himself for her becoming somewhat stable. There were no doubts that she wasn't out of the woods yet and they would need to continue to care for her and the wounds that had been inflicted upon her. They would need to create a lie to tell and yet Edward found himself curious what the tribe would tell the people of the death of two boys and the paralysing of a third. Edward knew that dealing with Charlie would be difficult but for once Charlie was the least of his worries. Edward could respect Charlie for being Bella's father but he wasn't blind to Charlie's part in this either. He'd tried to force Bella and Jacob together ever since Edward's return and while Charlie may never know that it had been Jacob who had harmed Bella, Edward would hate him for his part in this game.

Edward moved to his family already able to hear them only a few miles from their home, and while Alice had come to some correct assumptions they weren't prepared for the sight of Edward red eyed and full of so much anger. Jasper had all but felt himself hissing under the emotion seeping through Edward once he was close enough to experience it. He'd expected guilt, shame even, but Edward only seemed to feel complete rage and sorrow. Alice had panicked when Edward's future had vanished. She'd only become more hysterical when she then had Edward's future reappear with him returning to the Cullen home with a wounded Bella and red eyes. Alice too had for a moment believed that Edward had perhaps slipped and made a mistake, that his worst nightmare had finally become reality, but there was too much blood for that to be true. If Edward had been the one to attack there wouldn't have been a drop wasted. She was his singer after all and vampires weren't usually messy eaters. They drained completely. Humans were easier to drain cleanly than animals, too, and Edward rarely came home from a hunt with a hair out of place, let alone blood on his clothing.

"Edward, is she okay?" Alice had rushed out at the sight of him. Even though Jasper tried to hold Alice back from approaching Edward and forced the calm around them all, it was evident that Edward was still very much on the edge. It worried Jasper.

"What happened?" Jasper spoke before Edward said anything. It was clear to the family that Edward was tense, on edge, even in Esme's need to mother her clearly upset son, she knew now wasn't the time. Sometimes comfort didn't help situations like this and she knew when Edward was likely not to welcome such a thing, and he was showing all the signs of wanting no one to touch him.

"Carlisle and Rose are doing what they can. She's stable for now, her heart was weak but it's stable." Edward said with little to no emotion in his tone, but Jasper couldn't believe the rage that was pouring from his usually morose brother.

"Then everything will be okay. Rosie and Carlisle will fix her up just fine and she'll be as good as new" Emmet barely finished his sentence before Edward was on him, lunging at him and knocking the larger vampire clear off his feet and into the ground, Edward gripping tightly onto Emmet's shirt as he hissed down at Emmet.

Jasper and Alice tried their best to intercept Edward. Even Emmet held tightly onto Edward's forearms as he gripped his shirt. While Emmet hadn't meant to set him off he'd done so by making it seem like everything was okay. Edward didn't believe anything was okay. His mate was hurt, she'd suffer not only physically but emotionally. He hated the doubt he felt in him as he considered her reaction to killing the mutt, killing her friend who she'd defended constantly. Nothing was 'just fine'. He'd started a war with the remaining wolves when they'd been hoping to use the wolves to aid them in the coming fight with the newborns and Victoria, the Volturi were always laying in wait too. Edward knew his family was on a knife edge now with enemies surrounding them and closing in. That was what had been brought onto them for his love for a human. He was seeing the mistake in his actions finally, seeing the fatal flaw in his need to keep her human he'd risked them all. If they had simply taken Bella once he realised she was his mate and changed her straight away this could have been avoided. If he and his family had worked this correctly they could have masked the accident of the car almost hitting Bella as her death and they'd be safer. Countless times he'd had the option to just change Bella or allow it to happen and he'd refused, his misguided need for her to remain human could possibly result in their end. He'd made so many mistakes but now he wouldn't, no longer would he risk not only his family but himself and the one person he couldn't live without. Things needed to change of that, Edward was certain.

"Edward you know he wasn't down playing what has happened to Bella. We aren't even sure what happened yet. Please, you need to gain control of yourself." Jasper said firmly reaching down and wrapping his hand around the back of Edward's neck yanking him up as Emmet pushed up and the two tried to reel in Edward from the brink of his outrage.

"I'm sorry." he hissed towards Emmet as he simply grinned at Edward, while he knew it wasn't the time to joke about it he had always enjoyed it when the prim and proper Edward snapped and lost a little of that iron clad control. Emmet always enjoyed a scrap, especially against such a challenge as Edward.

"Edward! Your eyes, they're red!" Esme said, still slightly standing back away from the confrontation. She'd never been one to find enjoyment in the rough housing, she'd relied on Carlisle for separating much of the physical altercations. It was something even now Edward worried about, realising that the woman who loved him as her son was not nearly prepared for the hell he'd unleashed. He wouldn't be able to hold that guilt should something happen to Esme, especially knowing what that would do to Carlisle. Edward knew now better than any the true depths of depravity he would go to if he lost his mate. Esme had voiced, however, what the others hadn't wanted to, they all knew what it was like to slip with the diet they lived by. All had carried that shame and regret. Edward had never slipped. He'd once, long ago chosen to hunt humans, but he'd never accidentally killed anyone. The idea that he may have slipped with Bella worried them all, and not just for Bella's safety, but for Edward's own sanity. But they also knew Edward hadn't been with Bella, he'd been waiting on the borderline between their land and that of La Push.

"He lost control." Edward struggled to get the words out from his very mouth, sneering even then. He didn't want to blow up like he had in front of Carlisle and Rose. "He shifted while he was holding her. I watched as he ripped into her flesh, I watched helpless forced behind a treaty line they do not respect as my mate was harmed." Edward could see the shock, even feel and experience Jasper's power as the rage and fear filled those around them, finally understanding what had transpired. "I couldn't... I refused to sit by and watch. Too long we've allowed them to interfere and dictate to us the rules that we agreed to only to give them mercy. These children are not Ephraim. He was an honorable man. A man who knew his place." Jasper tried to send more waves of calm toward Edward as he felt himself edging that fine line once again. "I crossed the treaty line. I found her bleeding on the ground dying, and he stood there with only the thought of finally being able to kill me. My world lay dying at his feet, the woman he claimed to love and he did nothing, he would have ignored her to kill me." Edward's eyes changed, thickening and darkening into the coal black that had put fear into those children he'd massacred.

"You broke the treaty?" Esme said as Edward's dark eyes flashed to hers and for a moment the hint of a sinister smile crossed her first son's face, a smile she'd never witnessed before in their shared existence.

"I shattered it. I killed that dog, put him down like the vile animal he is! - and then I dealt with the two others with him. They didn't even think of her, she lay dying and all they cared about was killing me. Well, they failed!" Edward growled deeply his chest rumbling his family were shocked but he could sense the hint of pride from some of them too. Jasper couldn't even help the respect he felt for his normally timid brother. No doubt he'd believed Edward possibly a dangerous vampire but he'd been too deeply centred on hating himself, finally that hatred for the world had slipped through and Jasper respected that Edward had done what had to be done to protect his mate.

"They'll want vengeance. This will be war." Emmet stated, already prepared to fight beside his brothers for any coming battle with the wolves. Had the three of them not spoken of this exact threat when they'd learned of Sam's shifting behind Carlisle's back? The three of them had spoken about ending the wolves without Carlisle's agreement should they become a threat. It had been that way for decades. Carlisle preserved life and while Edward certainly never enjoyed harming someone before, he'd accepted the reality of protecting the family from any threat and had always offered his help in any movements planned by Jasper and Emmet.

"A war that we didn't need. We already have the newborns and Victoria to contend with. While I certainly do not fault you for what you've done this shall be much more complicated now. However the Denali family shall stand with us now. Irina will be given free rein to kill the wolves." Jasper chuckled darkly at that and Edward nodded in agreement. The Denali Coven had decided not to stand with them against the threat of newborns because of the alliance with the wolves. Now that was something they could offer. Edward knew the wolves would come and they needed numbers if they were to survive the newborn army coming for them.

"I'll contact the sisters with this news." Alice said, already seeing in her mind the conversation going well. While Edward certainly had no problem with the wolves killing Laurent, he'd play down his annoyance at Irina's infatuation with Laurent to gain the aid of the Denali.

"We can't be planning to kill them. Carlisle would never agree to this. They're just boys, children. I understand that you're upset and that you want to protect Bella but we can't kill them all for one's mistake Edward." Esme pleaded with him and Edward could understand why she would plead with him. In the past he'd always caved, too little desire to care to do anything he'd shied away from most things, never having to face anything. Not anymore. His time as docile and morose were over. He'd made a fool of himself and that had ended with his mate harmed. Now was the time to think about making the family safe. They had too many enemies, it was time to end them before they grew too much to handle.

"Children with dangerous powers. They don't fear us or respect us and that is why they've become so daring and hostile towards us. Ephraim feared us and respected our power. I've killed the rightful alpha; I've killed the chief's daughter's imprint in Paul and paralysed another of them. They will never forgive, I'm surprised they haven't already come here to kill us or attempt to." Edward told Esme and he knew his words hit deep within her she was beginning to understand that there was no chance for peace to be made; Edward had shattered the treaty but he would not feel guilty about it. He wouldn't feel a single part of remorse.

"Edward's right Esme. They'd hunt Edward for what he's done. The treaty would have been null and void the second he crossed the treaty line, even though they have repeatedly gone where they please on our lands. They've pushed and provoked us into attacking so they can feel justified in harming us, they just thought they were stronger than they were." Emmet said seriously. The fun loving joker had morphed into defender of his family. With his human sister harmed and his brother in possible danger he was ready to defend them.

"The problem with youth is it holds too much arrogance. I warned Carlisle these wolves were far too sure of what they could do and our constant backing down only made them believe their power. I don't for a second believe they are going to let this slide but I also know Sam is mature enough that he's seeing us for what we are. Edward alone was able to best three of them, one of them being the true alpha. They've viewed Edward as our weakest simply for his love for Bella. That fact will give us time to prepare because Sam will want to prepare himself before he comes to attack. Do you know the numbers of them now?" Jasper turned back to face Edward already mapping out ways to single out wolves before they could plan an assault against them. It was times like these that Edward found himself truly stunned at the complex structure of Jasper's mind. He must have been a truly fascinating human.

"I can't be sure if any more have made the shift of recent. Sam, Leah, Seth, Collin, Brady, Quil and Jared. I know there are a few younger members who Sam has tried very hard to keep unknown to us but they're even younger, barely past puberty. They'd be of no challenge to even the weakest of immortals. I'd say as a pack at full strength they have no more than ten members" Edward told Jasper and Emmet for the briefest moment considered just taking Jasper and Edward across the treaty line and ending it now if Edward had been so easily able to beat three of them what would ten do. Edward had known though that his rage and overwhelming need to get Bella to Carlisle had helped as well as the complete lack of belief that he would be able to beat Jacob. All three of those wolves had believed Edward an easy kill; they had underestimated him. He doubted Sam would allow anyone else to do that again.

Alice then zoned out from the moment as a vision consumed her. Edward watched intently as she saw that Carlisle was getting ready to call them back. Rose and Carlisle had done all they could for Bella now, this was all down to her now, overcoming the wounds. He'd need to take her into the hospital. It also appeared Carlisle had heard from someone and had information. While Alice's vision hadn't revealed what it was that Carlisle would say, it was time for the family to come together now. It was time to place false stories in place and work out how they would explain this to the humans. Bella had Charlie who no doubt was concerned where his daughter was this late in the evening. There was also the unknown of what the wolves would say about the two deaths and attack on Embry. They had just as many lies to twist, unless they decided to out the Cullens. Time was precious now as all of them had much to lose in this moment. It was time to come together as a family and prepare to close ranks and work out all the tales they would spin. Edward and Alice's gifts would be needed even more so now to help aid in moving the family around suspicion and threat of exposure. Edward moved before Alice's vision finished urgently, needing to see Bella to be with her even as she remained unconscious to the world. The yearning to hold her was strong even though he knew there was a place in his anger that remained hers. He loved Bella more than anything in this world but once she could handle it there would need to be a conversation. He knew that the hardships of their relationship were only beginning. It was time to piece together the shattered parts of what they'd allowed to become broken.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Hey everyone, first of all I just wanted to let you all know how much I appreciate how many of you have added Red Dawn as alerts and favorites already just off chapter one. Also to those of you who took the time to review a big thank you too it's always really great to get feedback especially good feedback on something you've written. I'm sorry about the longer than expected wait, I really need to sort out some type of uploading schedule but for now just bare with me I will get a chapter at least once a week up for you guys. I've got rough written chapters for at least ten already but they need work before I can upload so I'll be sticking with one a week for now. Anyway don't want to bore you with author's notes here's chapter two.**

 **I'd like to say a huge Thank You to my Beta _The Overambitious Dreamer_ who has been a massive help with my work, with me being still a little rusty. So thank you.**

 **RED DAWN**

 **SUMMARY:** Edward had always warned Bella that the pack were dangerous. Hostile, volatile and aggressive in nature. She ignored him, testing even Edward's own vampire instinct by staying friends with his enemy, Jacob. One event will change them all, Bella never truly understood the supernatural world. Didn't understand the aggression that lay dormant even in her controlled mate until it was too late. Warning: Violence and Character death.

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the Characters.**

* * *

 **Chapter Two**

Edward all but knocked both Carlisle and Rosalie aside in his urgency to be with Bella once they had reached the Cullen home. He found her placed now on his own bed in his room. She had yet to see the bed that he had purchased for the nights that he hoped she'd stay with him, now seeing her their laying with garish thick stitching covering her face and disappearing under the large shirt she'd been dressed in, an IV connected to her giving her fluids twisted in his gut. He'd wanted to share the new addition in his room as something they could enjoy together and now here she lay, broken. Edward found his anger weakening as she lay there like this and crawled gently into the large bed, making sure not to disturb her in any way as his hand reached up and tenderly caressed her unharmed cheek. He knew he had to start helping make arrangements with his family but seeing that she was here, that he hadn't lost her, she was stable. And from Carlisle's mind, Edward could see that with rest and time, Carlisle expected she'd make a full recovery. They'd been fortunate that they had blood in case of such an event that Bella would need it and the transfusion had helped her due to how much blood she had lost. It made her smell strange to Edward, but he couldn't care about it, she was his and for now she was safe. He dreaded what laid ahead for them both when she finally awoke.

"Edward, we should really talk about what's going to happen." Carlisle said, standing in the doorway. He was visibly upset and his mind gave away how deeply upset he was with what had happened to Bella and seeing what this was doing to Edward.

"Esme can stay with her for a little while we discuss what we're going to do. Then I have to insist we have her in hospital. While I'm confident she's stable now, I'd feel more comfortable her being in hospital for the next few days or weeks depending on her progress." Carlisle continued, but Edward's attention remained on his mate. Had her skin always felt so paper thin? Had it always felt so easy to feel the bone under her cheek of her face? Suddenly things he'd worried about endlessly felt even more heightened in this moment and he considered to change her, to begin the transformation. He couldn't bare it and yet he knew he had to.

Not until he had spoken to Bella. She wanted this but he'd need to speak with her before he reacted with his own panic and anger and did something she perhaps wasn't ready for. If he changed her now he'd take from her the goodbyes she'd hoped to have with her parents. While he didn't know if she'd forgive him killing the dog, he couldn't risk her resenting him for taking her parents from her without a goodbye too.

"Edward, son, we really must talk." Carlisle insisted now, seeing that he wasn't gaining any attention from Edward and feared perhaps everything was finally setting in on his son. Had he not reacted in a similar way upon the incident of her eighteenth birthday? He'd fallen into silence. Carlisle was only relieved to see that instead of finding ways to distance himself from Bella, Edward seemed almost clinging to her.

"I could have saved us all so much pain and complication had I simply given her what we both want." Edward said, knowing Carlisle could hear him, and yet his eyes never wavered from Bella's face. Then, finally turning to look at Carlisle evenly, "Once she's ready I'll change her."

This shocked Carlisle but he remained silent.

"We've drawn this out too long. I've refused to live without her; I've killed to keep her by my side. I've gone about this all wrong and it's almost cost me her so many times. I won't be so foolish any longer. A century of life, and I'm still acting more like a child then a man! She deserves better than that and so does our family." Edward said with a firm resolve, leaning down and kissing the top of her forehead sweetly, his fingers lightly tracing down along her cheek and moving away from her on his bed, nodding to Carlisle and offering his thanks to Esme as she moved into his room to take his place at Bella's side while his family needed him.

Edward moved into the large living space. Rosalie must have added the linen and clothing she and Carlisle had worn while working on Bella because it was clear that fabric was still burning within the flames of the fireplace. The scent of burned fabric was bitter against his sense of smell and it made him scrunch up his nose. Jasper and Emmet were leaning over the coffee table on either side, sitting in love seats, preemptively planning offensive attacks for the possibility of fighting what remained of the wolves. Both had come to the clear conclusion after Jasper had thought about it that Sam, while still young, would be smart enough to control the remaining members, to hold them off until they had a plan in place. With Jacob and Paul, the two who challenged Sam the most often gone, he would more likely find his attempts to control the pack easier; that would certainly add to Sam's power now that the rightful Alpha was gone. It also would give him the freedom of not being worried about being removed from his place of power should Jacob disagree with him too readily. Edward was surprised at how well Jasper had been able to read into the situation and predict the motives behind certain emotions he'd experienced around the members of the pack.

"Why would we wait to strike now? They'll be mourning, unprepared for another blatant attack on their own lands. We've got more than enough right to end them after what happened to Bella." Emmet said. While Emmet was more than capable fighter, his impatience to get into a confrontation could make him brash. It was true he never approached anything too seriously, but Emmet wasn't completely disregarding the pack, at least in his mind anyway.

"You'd be going in blind. I wouldn't know if you were to make it out without any casualties." Alice said walking into the main room holding a small plastic capsule case and throwing it in Edward's direction as he caught it swiftly in his outstretched hand. "Contacts. You'll be around humans. Can't have them seeing you with red eyes." she said simply and Edward nodded in understanding. The contacts wouldn't last long in his eyes due to the venom that coated his eyes, but for the purpose of remaining undetectable he'd have to endure the irritation of feeling the lenses on his eye for now.

"If Edward could take on three it should be a cake walk!" Emmet said, throwing his thumb towards Edward and smirking at him, somewhat trying to antagonize Edward slightly but also believing if Edward had managed it then the family as a whole wouldn't struggle.

"Edward is the most capable against this enemy." Jasper said simply to Emmet, only looking to Edward from the corner of his eyes. "He's trained well in combat, extremely fast for our kind. His ability to read minds and the fact the pack share a mind makes Edward the perfect brand of destruction for them." Jasper finished without delving deeper, and Emmet looked towards his brother Edward with a proud smile, his thoughts congratulating Edward for this assessment on him.

"It also helped that they were completely unaware of and ignorant to believe my danger. You touched on it earlier, they saw me as weak because of my constant silence against them. Jacob believed he'd beat me without aid, he attacked without even worrying about my mind reading. He signaled his entire attack and I effectively ended him without much effort. Embry and Paul posed a much harder task. Even though I could share in their mind reading, it was clear to see that once they had numbers they were more affective against me. I had to rely more on using their vulnerabilities and size against them. Once I realised how suffering deep pain affected the shared link, I bit Paul and injected venom into his system. It all but brought Embry to heel once he experienced that agony alongside Paul." Edward explained to his family. Carlisle had been the one to mention how lethal he believed venom from them could be for the wolves. He'd wondered for many years what effect on the shifters it would have. He'd never voiced it but Edward had seen it in his mind and then he'd used that weapon Carlisle had wanted to hide.

"You bit one of them." Carlisle said hearing everything Edward had said and feeling slightly betrayed by this action somehow, and while he knew Edward had to protect himself and his mate he couldn't put together the Edward he'd known for his entire existence with this man who stood before him now. He'd never been ruthless and Carlisle had never believed Edward to truly wish to harm people, even when he'd hunted the humans for blood. He had directly targeted those who wished to harm other people. Even in his attempt to kill, he'd also looked to protect.

"Yes. You believed it would be toxic to them and I agreed, so I bit him. His death was drawn out and he suffered greatly. Our venom acts like an acid through their blood stream, burning up every part of them and shutting them down a piece at a time. By the time it reached his heart he'd begged for death, and it came quickly." Edward said now with a clearer mind, being able to look back at his confrontation with the wolves with clearer sight without the instinct. Things his heightened sense had picked up on without his true detection while he'd been only focused on getting to Bella and having Carlisle help her.

"Another advantage we'll have to use should this become too much of a danger to our existence." Jasper replied before Carlisle could say anything to stop where his family were going in plans to attack the Quileutes. "Because of their size it offers ample opportunity to deliver the bite and then just watch them die without risk of losing any members, though getting that close could create alternate risk to our own person." Jasper mused more to himself than anyone else, even if he'd spoken his thoughts aloud to the rest of them.

"This can't be the only solution." Carlisle shook his head "Hasn't there been enough death? We already face so much risk with the newborns and Victoria. Adding this would only cause us to be stretched too far. I can't agree to killing those young men." Carlisle said, deeply disturbed by where his family were taking this conversation. Killing was wrong and he couldn't condone it in any sense. Even though he'd understood the need to destroy James and now Victoria, he couldn't accept that this was what had to happen. The pack were only slightly older than children. Some actually were just children, and killing them simply for one's mistake did not sit well with Carlisle's beliefs. Even more so, he believed it completely wrong to attack without need to. It was one thing to defend the family; to Carlisle it was another to outright seek the destruction of someone. Carlisle thought about the conversation he'd had. It hadn't been a conversation he'd heard from Quil Ateara or 'Old Quil' as he was known amongst his fellow tribesmen. They had discovered the three boys: Jacob, Paul and Embry, the latter warning them of what had happened even though Old Quil, whose father had been a member of the original pack and usually less antagonistic towards the Cullens, had struggled to control his anger.

" _You send your son. Carlisle, you send your son to pay for the lives he has taken from our people. Give us his life and I will be able to mend these broken binds. Without this we shall be at war. He crossed our lands, he took the life of our future Chief. He took another young man_ _'_ _s life with his bite and then left a third boy to lay amongst the dead, paralyzed, ridding him of his most sacred ability gifted to him by our ancestors._ _"_ _Old Quil had demanded harshly. Carlisle had often wished to deal with Old Quil over even Billy Black the chief of the council due to his usually wiser thoughts and more tolerable way of interacting, but now Carlisle could see even old Quil could not help this situation without some type of punishment._

" _How can you expect me to give you my son when he was protecting his mate? He did what anyone of us would have done. Bella was harmed by Jacob and Edward reacted. He did what he had to. If our roles were reversed, wouldn_ _'_ _t you have done anything to protect your loved one?_ _"_ _Carlisle had tried to reach out to the man with compassion. A_ _fter all_ _, Edward_ _'_ _s initial reaction had been to defend his mate, a most deeply rooted instinct in the very nature of all immortals._

" _I find no pleasure in this Carlisle. I was deeply upset to hear of Isabella coming in harm_ _'_ _s way. I loved my wife Molly Swan very much and wouldn_ _'_ _t wish any of her family harm but Isabella knew the world she wanted to be part of held risk to her. She came to our lands willingly; your son broke our treaty. Unless you can give us the boy we cannot fix what ails our people._ _"_ _Quil had urged Carlisle, of course he_ _'_ _d hoped that Old Quil_ _'_ _s wife being a relative to Charlie and Bella Swan would have helped in making him see sense in not asking for Edward_ _'_ _s life._

" _I can_ _'_ _t give you that, not my son. Even in spite of his actions I can_ _'_ _t turn him away. He did what any of our kind would do to protect our mates as any shifter would do to protect the imprint._ _"_ _Carlisle made one final attempt to make Old Quil see sense. He knew Old Quil would be the only one to view the events without the blinded hatred the other_ _'_ _s felt._

" _Then we are at war, Carlisle._ _"_ _Old Quil paused for a brief moment, and Carlisle could only hear his breathing._ _"_ _I am sorry this has become of our people. My father would be deeply saddened by these events._ _"_

 _The phone went dead as Old Quil hung up._

"You know I won't go to them, not even for you." Edward said. Finally seeing the conversation Carlisle had had with the more tolerable member of the Quileute council. "You may feel what I did was wrong but I won't feel remorse for doing what I must to get to Bella. You aren't me Carlisle; you don't have to hear the vile hatred they carry, the constant taunting and threatening. You didn't hear how quickly they all disregarded her injuries in favour for killing me. I had one option. End them and get to Bella, or die with her." Edward said with a dark edge to his voice, looking to his sire, his closest friend in this existence. Even with the closeness he'd had with Alice since she had joined the family. Carlisle would always remain his closest friend in this existence but he couldn't live to the standard Carlisle wanted any longer. The family was in danger, there was no room for a pacifist in their family when they were at war, and his desire to end things peacefully would put them all in harm's way, especially Edward with how the pack would now feel towards him.

"Don't presume I would so simply send you off to your death. I don't want to fight, I don't want to kill but I will help defend my family. I can't help but believe though that there is another solution to this rather then killing the entire pack." Carlisle said more firmly towards Edward than any family member could remember witnessing before. The room was tense and Jasper did his best to try and keep his family all level headed. They couldn't afford to be at each other's throats now.

"Old Quil told you we are at war. He told you the only way he could even hope to somehow fix the treaty was for me to be handed to them so they could kill me. What aren't you seeing Carlisle? We are at war; do you think they would hesitate to kill you? What of Esme - do you believe they would hesitate to harm your wife, your mate? - because I can promise you, they would not. You feel the need to save them from death but we're past diplomatic solutions. I destroyed the treaty. I have done what we promised never to do, and I will do it again to ensure I get my eternity with Bella." Edward said, fiercely pointing and hitting his chest audibly with his finger. He wasn't going to let Carlisle's doubt and compassion make him doubt himself. Edward knew he would only ever have to answer to Bella for the things he had done and hoped she'd be able to forgive him one day.

"He's right Carlisle. This can't be avoided now. We have to handle the pack so that we aren't caught off guard by both the pack and Victoria. We'd hoped to use the pack to aid in the battle with Victoria but now we don't have such luxury." Jasper stood from his seat, moving to place himself between Edward and Carlisle. While he doubted that they would come to physical confrontation, he couldn't trust this slightly more hostile Edward that had arrived since he'd found his mate close to death.

"I've already contacted Tanya. While she couldn't give an answer for her sisters as they were hunting she believes they will come to aid us now. I've seen the conversation going well once Irina knows that we aren't protecting the wolves." Alice said and Carlisle could feel the unease as his children planned war against people he'd never wished to come to harm. He felt a failure. The treaty had been something special to him, proof that two beings could overcome natural instincts to live together. Seeing those he viewed as his children, he feared that he'd been wrong all along that animal blood didn't make them less dangerous than those of a normal diet. It just gave them the patience to be within the family.

"This isn't your fault Carlisle" Edward said, now seeing, his thoughts moving to him and placing his hand upon his father's shoulder, sighing. "I can't say I regret what I have done. Perhaps in time I shall feel shame for my actions, perhaps when Bella knows of what I've done I'll have to repent in some way to earn her trust and forgiveness for killing her friend. I can't even say if my intentions hadn't been to kill him the second I saw his thoughts. All I knew was Bella was hurt and I needed to get to her. They wouldn't have let me leave their lands, not with her dead after I'd crossed. I had no choice but to kill them. Bella is what is most important to me. I've started this war because I was fool enough to let Bella continue the friendship with those who needed no true reason to fight us; I've given them one now. I don't expect you to kill if you don't want that but don't prevent us from keeping our family safe. They may be innocent to you but given even a chance they would take from you everything you hold dear." Edward said gently to Carlisle, trying to make his compassionate father see sense, trying to make him see that there was no option in what was to be done now.

"Carlisle, we wouldn't hold it against you if you wanted to leave for a time." Emmet was the one to finally speak out, offering Carlisle a way to be removed from the situation and Carlisle looked at them all, wide eyed, seeing that his family were now trying to protect him from having to do something he'd feel great shame and regret for.

"I couldn't abandon you." Carlisle said, shaking his head, looking down at the ground, his mind accepting what was coming and for that moment stepping aside almost as leader of the coven and relinquishing his leadership to those who would lead them through the coming wars. Carlisle, with all his years of experience in this life had no idea how to lead his family through these hard times and he knew his desire to not harm would hinder them and possibly harm them. He only hoped he wasn't making a mistake by allowing his sons to plot war, he hoped that they could live with what they planned to do now. "I'll get Bella ready to relocate her to the hospital. I'll have them set up a room for her. Alice do you see what the best course of action is for a cover story?" Carlisle asked, the need to be with Esme growing more by the second. He needed her reassurance and comfort now. He felt deeply upset.

"An animal attack. It's the only thing I believe will work with her injuries. I can't know if the pack will dispute this but they don't go to the hospital, so I imagine we will be the first to report what has happened." Alice said, her mind looking for anything that may cause a problem and then nodding, offering a forced smile to Carlisle.

"We'll have to tell them she was hurt and managed to get away, called me and then we went out looking for her. It'll be the only way to explain why we're bringing her to the hospital." Edward spoke out to Carlisle, but sensing a deep rift forming between him and Carlisle he felt that he'd disappointed his father figure. But he couldn't dwell on it, if they survived the coming trials he would then try to work on fixing his relationship with his father.

"Once we have her in the hospital we'll need to contact Charlie. He's already called here multiple times and I can't imagine he's getting any answers from Billy or any of the council at the moment. I'd suggest Esme to break the news to him, he's always been more susceptible to her comforting influence than anyone else in our family." Jasper offered as Carlisle then simply nodded and exited the room quickly. Emmet slumped down back into his seat, sighing loudly and slapping his thighs, looking very human and frustrated in that moment.

"Why do I get the feeling that we've just broken his heart?" Emmet said sadly as Rosalie moved to sit on the back of the chair, wrapping an arm around her husband's large shoulders.

"Carlisle respects all life, he'd never wish any of us to come to harm, but this isn't what he wants either. For us to go out and just kill for the betterment of our family probably reminds him too much of how the Volturi are, too." Rosalie said as Edward nodded in agreement with everything she said completely. He doubted Carlisle would involve himself with the pack now. Unless he had to defend himself or a member of the family directly he'd certainly not seek them out or try to stop the family knowing it posed to put them at risk.

"Unfortunately we have little choice in any way of handling this without bloodshed; I'd suggest sticking in groups until we decide a direct plan for dealing with them. Right now we have to accept that we need to stick together; Bella being in hospital does give us reason under the guise of needing to be all in one place together. For now I'd suggest sticking to the hospital for a main base until either the Denalis arrive or Bella is discharged. When we hunt we'll have to hunt in groups of three no less to ensure we're not caught out there, though because we've all hunted recently I'd suggest forgoing hunting until the Denali arrive and we have the added numbers. They won't come head on; I can't imagine they'd make the same mistakes that the others did with Edward. They aren't going to make this easy, and we've got the added concern of Victoria. We know she's still around closing in. The deaths in Seattle are still growing too." Jasper rushed out. It would have been simply too fast for human ears to detect what he was saying, but to the enhanced hearing of his family, they picked up each part of his ideas.

"Right now, though, I'd say it's Edward they want most." Emmet added quickly.

"I'll be at the hospital with Bella. I refuse to hide from the pack but for now I can't leave her side for too long. She's going to need this all explained to her and I don't see this going well if it's anyone other than me. She's always believed me to be controlled and incapable of hurting her and I'm positive that me killing members of the pack will hurt her; more than I wish to believe. I need to be there when she wakes or I'll be vulnerable, too distracted to defend myself completely." Edward admitted. He knew that while he'd been fighting with the pure instinct of protecting and saving his mate, now he was calming, he'd feel the same doubt and second guessing come back with his more logical thinking. Bella's reaction to all of this would make him question himself and he'd need his family's constant reminding that there was no alternative now. "Even if she begs me to stop the fighting I'll need you to help keep me firm on this. I love her enough to want to give her anything. If I'd been firmer perhaps this could have been avoided." Edward said, allowing his family to see that he knew that part of the blame was held directly with him. He'd let her continue to deal with the pack alone even though he'd known how little was needed to set them off. He knew that Jacob was growing only more hostile the more Bella refused his advances and with the closing in on graduation all had known that Bella's time as a human was coming to an end.

"She'll be upset, angry I'm more than sure, but she made her choice. She wanted to be one of us, she can't have it both ways. They would have been her enemy eventually and changing her would have broken the treaty also. They'd have killed her, it wouldn't have mattered who she was once she was a vampire." Jasper added, letting Edward know that he would help him keep firm in what had to be done now. Jasper respected that Edward could recognise his own weaknesses and that his desire to please Bella, no matter the cost, could become something that made him second guess his stance in fighting the pack with the family.

"So, what? For now we remain in our family, stick together and watch out for any signs of something around us until we can have Bella out of the hospital or the Denalis arrive?" Emmet asked to make sure everything was clear for now with what was planned for the future of the family. He didn't like that they hadn't decided firmly to go out and attack, but he could respect that, for now, they needed to close ranks around Bella. While Edward had managed to fight to get to Bella when she was hurt, Emmet didn't expect Edward to be prepared to fight. While he worried over his mate's condition, he was content to wait and defend his family for now.

"Just for now." Jasper agreed with the statement as Edward, Alice and Rose nodded in agreement. "Like I've said, I highly doubt they will attack. Right now they are in mourning. Had Jacob or Paul been alive I would have believed them capable of running blindly into a fight, but with the more aggressive of the pack dead they'll wait before attacking." Jasper added, looking to Edward to see if he'd been correct in his assumption from the emotions he'd picked up from the pack in the times he'd been around them.

"Go, Edward." Alice said, kissing her brother's cheek as he stood tense and on edge. While he wanted to be with them, it was clear for now the plan was to stick to numbers, to remain a tight unit so even if the entire pack was to come for them they'd be capable of fighting against them. Being in a public place would also prevent any from such an outright assault. The pack didn't want exposure any more than the Cullens did, but there was the unpredictable danger of a large newborn army and a vengeful Victoria. He doubted she cared much for exposure now.

Edward didn't need to be told a second time as he moved to his room, instantly finding Carlisle and Esme getting Bella ready to be moved to the car. He could see from Carlisle mind that he'd tried to focus on Bella's care as a way to try and forget what was taking place downstairs. He truly did not wish for this to happen and had considered the offer of taking Esme and leaving. His loyalty to the family and not wanting to leave them while at risk kept him in place. Carlisle was truly a good man and Edward felt sorry that he couldn't be the man that Carlisle wanted as a son. Carlisle had already contacted his colleagues at the hospital to prepare a room for Bella and had said that he'd been able to stabilize her at his home, the urgency for needing to take care of her wounds before bringing her to the hospital gave them little time to waste. Edward wasn't surprised to see that they didn't question Carlisle's choice; it seemed the members of Forks Hospital very rarely did question Dr Cullen's methods for the fact of how well things often turned out for him. Not that Forks hospital dealt with nearly some of the more traumatic patients that a large city hospital was expected to deal with; it was widely known that Carlisle was a big fish in a little pond when it came to the doctors in the hospital.

"How is she?" Edward asked, moving to Bella's side and taking her small warm hand between his cool larger ones, caressing his fingers along the inside of her palm, using touch to comfort himself and hoping it somehow comforted her too.

"For now I have her on some pain medication. Her temperature is running a little higher than I would like it but the body reacts in such ways due to the injury inflicted. Right now she'll simply need a lot of rest, she was very fortunate that the claws hadn't gone deeper. Things could have ended very badly had he managed to cut just a few inches deeper into her chest; she's lucky. Right now the main focus is trying to prevent infection; I've never witnessed an attack from a shifter though I know of Emily having survived. An infection could be devastating for her weak body at this time." Carlisle said gently, not trying to say too much and upset Edward, he knew his son would understand more from his mind that he couldn't hide right now. Only time and care would tell how things turned out and Carlisle couldn't predict how this would affect Bella emotionally. The physical injuries could heal with time, though she'd be badly scarred for a long time, but there was the option of reconstructive surgery. This would be something that would need Bella and her parents present for though. Though if Edward was firm in his decision Carlisle knew that all it would take was his bite and the transformation for Bella's scars to fade, he'd suggest not to have any further surgeries if that was the plan that the both of them were sticking to. It would save her from risk and having to deal with months of recovery where it could be done in the three days change with just venom.

"We'll take her now." Edward said, already seeing in Carlisle and Esme's minds that they'd planned to move her before he'd arrived. He was glad he'd come now; he didn't want anyone to have to touch her without reason. Still very protective of her, even more so then he'd been, he'd allowed Carlisle and Rose to work on Bella when she'd been injured and he'd struggled to allow that, but now he just wanted everyone to back away and leave him to care for her alone. He wanted to take her far away from everyone and just help her recover; he knew that wasn't an option though for now.

"Yes, it's better we have her in place now. I've contacted the hospital. As soon as we get her there Esme is willing to make the call to Charlie, the plan of an animal attack is best. While I'm not sure the pack will agree, it will explain away the death of two boys and the Embry situation. It'll give the human's a story to consider at least, better then the reality." Carlisle moved to Edward's side then as Edward stood and eased Bella's body up from the bedding and, cradling her fragile body into his strong arms, he didn't recoil at Carlisle's closeness even though his body was hyperaware of how close he was to Bella. He'd need to find his control again soon, he couldn't react wildly around other human's; they wouldn't understand.

"Carlisle, about the pack..." Edward paused, though, seeing the look in Carlisle's eyes as he held Bella in his arms, moving to exit his room and carry her to the garage.

"I can't say I understand what you felt in the moment of seeing Bella harmed. I hope I never have to endure that pain. I understand your anger not only for her being harmed but for the months of having to endure someone trying to court your mate. I can't agree to killing them, Edward, I love you as my son and not a day spent with you have I felt anything but love. I'm pleading Edward... I beg of you to reconsider this plan. Could you live with it, these deeds you plan with our family?" Carlisle said, surprising Edward that he'd somehow blocked singling him out away from his siblings to plead with him to change his stance on the fighting and Edward simply shook his head towards the man he'd always tried to emulate and please. Eventually a son had to take control of his own path; he'd followed Carlisle for years, he'd rebelled as all children did against their parents and now finally Edward was ready to become a man. It had only taken him a century and finding his mate to make him do so but he could no longer sit back and simply be what he was expected to be. Change for vampires was difficult, Carlisle would always be a good man. Edward was finally beginning to see that there were shades of grey even within those of his kind.

"I pray you never feel that fear Carlisle. I stand with my family now, though, if you find this too difficult... if you find you can't bear what is to come please, I beg of you that you leave, dark times are coming father and I wish for you to be safe from it if you can't take your place at my side in the coming battles." Edward said, finally turning his back on Carlisle and moving through his home with Bella held against his chest at the human pace as not to jerk her body too harshly. As he moved through his house he believed that his relationship with Carlisle would forever be changed from this point. Carlisle had always been forgiving even when Edward had denied the diet they lived by to hunt humans. He'd welcomed him back without question. Edward did not believe Carlisle would be as forgiving for these acts this time, Edward had chosen his path. He'd made many mistakes and he knew himself enough to know he'd make more. This fight though, there would not be a mistake. Defending himself and those he cared for from a threat would never be a mistake to him. He'd always believed instinct eventually won out in the end even though he'd tried fighting his own his entire existence; wolves and vampires could not live in harmony.

Edward climbed into Emmet's Jeep, the larger vehicle better equipped to having Bella close in his arms while he sat in the back of the car with her head rested in his lap. Carlisle was the last of the family to move into the garage and Edward noticed the long lingering touch Esme rested on his cheek as they stood looking into each other's eyes silently communicating. Emmet hopped into the driver's side in front of Edward and then Carlisle quickly moved to join both of his sons in the passenger side. He'd be taking Bella from Edward once they were at the hospital to set her up in her private room with some of the nurses. Edward was not enjoying the reality of being separated for a time from Bella but understood he'd have no choice in the matter. The tension within the car as Emmet pulled away from the Cullen home was palpable and it made all three men wish Jasper had accompanied them. Edward watched as Carlisle tried his best to keep his mind focused away from what Edward had said in his bedroom to him, it was evident though to even Emmet who had overheard the conversation with the rest of the family that Edward had drawn his line in the sand. Carlisle would either join the family in what was coming or take the offer of taking a time away from the family while they dealt with the coming threats against them. It wasn't like other members of the family hadn't taken time to be alone, all members had needed space for other reasons. It wasn't always easy living together, especially when you considered how long they had spent as a family. This was different though none had ever offered Carlisle time away from the family and he was struggling with that. His children didn't believe him capable of handling this situation and he agreed with them, but he couldn't imagine walking away with Esme, especially should they come to harm's way. He had much to think about, he'd need time alone even if just brief with his wife and mate to find her opinion on what was happening.

"Here we are." Emmet said as he pulled the car to a standstill and, finally breaking the awkward silence that had surrounded them all, Edward took the capsules that Alice had gave him earlier and delicately placed the brown contact lenses into each eye, blinking rapidly at the itching irritation of them as they sat over his eyes. He could feel the texture rubbing on his very eyeballs but knew he'd have to endure it. He couldn't go walking around with blood red eyes around the humans, though they wouldn't be the light brown colour they would have appeared for any human they'd be a dark colour due to the effect of his bright red eyes lay hidden beneath.

"Let me take Bella and I'll go in ahead. I know Esme wanted to call Charlie on the way here so it's best you stick with the rest of our family as we wait for Charlie's arrival." Carlisle turned to look at Edward over his shoulder before climbing out from the car and, with the help of Emmet and Edward, eased Bella from the back seats and into Carlisle's arms. And then, at a human pace, ran into the hospital leaving Edward and Emmet alone to wait for the arrival of the rest of the family.

"He'll do the right thing." Emmet said to Edward confidently

"I'm sure he'll do what he believes is right. However that doesn't mean he'll stand with us. He's disappointed in me, even a little angry that I've killed. He believes I killed Jacob not only because he harmed Bella but because of the threat he posed to Bella and my relationship. While I can't completely deny I've been worried about the closeness they shared she and the mutt, I don't believe I'm nearly as spiteful as he believes to take from her the choice to pick." Edward said simply, relieved somewhat to speak the thoughts that he had picked up on from the past and in the moments Carlisle's attempts to block him had slipped.

"Choice!" Emmet scoffed "I'm all in agreement about not understanding her friendship with them but she's made it pretty clear who she wants. It's not a choice. The mating bond is cemented in stone. I don't get why that's always been an issue. Human or not, Bella gets it. She knows your her world and you hers." Emmet reached over, squeezing Edward's shoulder while Edward forced a smile towards his brother, shaking his head.

"She called him her sun. She explained it to me once... or tried to. He was there for her, brightened her day while she suffered my absence. What happens when your world destroys the sun Emmet?" Edward asked honestly then of his usually less serious and amusing brother. It was a question Edward worried about too. He was dreading Bella's reaction to finally learning of what he'd done to those she considered friends. How could one do that to someone so close to them? She'd said he was like a brother to her but he wondered if the feelings had gone deeper. Edward knew she loved him, would always love him, but could someone have strong feelings for two people? Jacob had believed so, Edward hadn't wanted to imagine it.

"I'm sure she's going to give you hell. I'm sure you're going to give her some too, you've been angry with her for some time now and Rose said you seemed outraged with her. Alice has seen visions for weeks of you blowing up at her; I know she's human and delicate, I know you don't want to upset her, but Edward, it doesn't mean you have to become a push over; she's taken advantage of your guilt for leaving. I'm sure I'm just repeating what you already know but just... when she wakes up just remember its okay to be angry at her still for what's happened. She should have never been in La Push today. She told you she wouldn't and she went back on her word." Edward nodded and found he agreed with his brother completely, he hated getting angry and Edward couldn't honestly remember a time he'd ever wished to raise his voice or argue with Bella in the past but usually he caved and conceded to giving her what she wanted. He'd help her heal, he'd care for her in the best possible way and then he'd explain to her what had happened, he'd let her react and then he'd explain to her his own feelings. Feelings he'd kept locked up a little too long.

"They're here." Edward said as the car turned into the hospital parking lot. Rosalie pulled her BMW to a stop beside Emmet's Jeep and they all climbed out quickly and moved as a family into the hospital to wait on Carlisle. Edward turned to look at Emmet as he took his place at Rosalie's side, wrapping his bulky arm around her, and nodded, the two silently showing an understanding. Emmet was often seen more as a comedic pause in most of the family dynamic, he'd never been seen as insightful as Carlisle, as knowing as Alice, or even emotionally in tune as Jasper but Edward was deeply grateful to see that Emmet, even without gifts or experience could relate to Edward. That he'd seen how Edward had been handling the situation and could agree that he wasn't wrong in feeling the way he did. It felt like somewhat of a weight leaving his chest knowing it was okay to be angry at Bella. Edward knew that what had happened was in no way her fault, her coming to harm wasn't her fault. That solely sat on Jacob Black and his lack of control. But if she'd simply stuck to her word like she'd always demanded she did this may have never come to pass. With a final unneeded sigh Edward took the final step into the hospital entrance and followed Esme as she stood with one of the nurses guiding her through the reception area to a waiting room closer to Bella's room.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N Hey everyone, just quickly I wanted to tell you all I'm real sorry that I didn't get this up sooner my beta was away and so I didn't want _The Overambitious Dreamer _ to have to worry too much about editing for me. I had hoped to receive an edit today but due to real life situations that wasn't possible, so I've decided to give you the next update without her masterful editing. I don't want to leave you waiting longer, because I don't know how long it'll be until she can start editing for me when I need, I will most likely continue to update with only my editing. So I apologise in advance for anything I miss, I've read it over multiple times and can only say sorry if I've missed anything. Once again thanks for continuing to follow my story, and let me know what you all think.**

 **RED DAWN**

 **SUMMARY:** Edward had always warned Bella that the pack were dangerous. Hostile, volatile and aggressive in nature. She ignored him, testing even Edward's own vampire instinct by staying friends with his enemy, Jacob. One event will change them all, Bella never truly understood the supernatural world. Didn't understand the aggression that lay dormant even in her controlled mate until it was too late. Warning: Violence and Character death.

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the Characters.**

* * *

 **Chapter Three**

It took all of five minutes before Charlie Swan stormed into the hospital.

Edward had been listening closely for the somewhat dimmed tenor of the chief's mind. While not completely silent like his daughter, Charlie did have a slightly softer pitch of thought pattern. It could easily be overlooked in the mass of thoughts that Edward had to constantly use his more advanced vampire mind to sift through while remaining focussed on the world around him, instead of the one in his mind. While Charlie's mind wasn't as nearly easy to read as other's the man was predictable in most cases. He wanted a simple life and he stuck to a certain routine not even the arrival of Bella in Forks had altered that life too much. Edward did come to find that with heightened emotion however that Charlie Swan was just as clear to his abilities as any other.

It seemed almost ridiculous that Edward hadn't realised that Bella had a latent power sooner than he had. Of course he'd quickly realised what she was when she'd came to prevent him from his suicide attempt in Volterra. Aro had seen it instantly. A shield and a powerful one at that, to already block so many gifts before she'd even taken to immortal life. It seemed likely to believe that Charlie held just as much promise to becoming a type of shield was he ever to be changed too. Edward had never looked into the idea of a genetic link with those among his kind that were gifted. Alec and Jane were true siblings and were gifted. Carlisle had believed Edward's mother had known what he was, which might have shown had she been changed his mother Elizabeth may have been an even more powerful mind reader then Edward.

Esme's call with Charlie had been only short, his patients had already ran out by the time he'd finally gotten a reply from all the people he'd been trying to contact. Edward had been relieved to see that Charlie hadn't received an answer from any of the members of the La Push tribe. He'd been ready to start searching himself when Esme had finally called him back. She'd used all her true fear and upset to make herself seem as human as she could while trying to calmly tell Charlie that Bella had been hurt. It was often a harder thing to show with other human's. One of the hardest facades's to pull off, even though they could be upset tears never came and sometimes it had the risk of making them look out of place or even not sincere in their emotions. Esme had made it sound perfectly acceptable to Charlie over the phone, the hitching in her breath the true pain in her tone, that she showed her genuine shared pain of what had happened. It made her come across completely genuine and believable to Charlie; he hadn't thought to question anything. Though Edward knew soon enough the Chief of police would start asking questions. They had the story in place and they were lucky that they'd be the first to say anything. Even if the members of the pack tried to expose them now it would come across to Charlie as that same old prejudice that all the people of La Push held against the Cullen family.

Esme was the first to move to greet Charlie as he came into the small waiting area where the whole family was positioned. Alice had stationed coffee cups around the table in front of them at different heights in level to make it appear like they'd been there some time. Edward even allowed the comforting of Rosalie as she moved to sit beside him and rubbed his back as he rested his face in his hands. It was part of the life Edward hated most, the constant need for covering up what they truly were. He understood it of course but the only sense of comfort for his feelings now was to be with Bella, something he couldn't have yet.

Esme moved with Charlie guiding him a little away from the other's for a sense of privacy even if all could hear what was being said. He'd seen the way Rose had been protectively comforting her younger brother and it had made him feel hollow in his stomach, like he'd just been punched in the gut. He'd always felt off about the boy, Edward. Felt like he was a little emotionless or too reserved, he'd certainly not been his biggest fan after his family leaving. Charlie had never believed Edward cared about Bella as much as his daughter cared for the boy and that had rubbed him the wrong way. Seeing him now look so upset worried Charlie deeply and made his urgency to know what had happened to his daughter only grow stronger.

"Esme what happened? Is Bells okay? She was in La Push visiting friends?" Charlie spoke one question over the other the usually more reserved and silent man had left for the concerned father. They'd seen this once before after the attack from James when Bella had needed hospital attention.

"She's okay for now. Carlisle believes she'll make a full recovery with time" Esme explained in a hushed tone wanting to alleviate any fear that he'd lose Bella, even if it had been touch and go in the beginning

"We aren't sure what happened completely. Just that Edward got a call from Bella. She was upset and scared. The boys went out in Emmet's jeep through the forest and found her around the area near La Push. There wasn't an animal but they're positive it was an animal attack" Charlie struggled with the information not understanding why Bella would be in the forests especially after the last incident. Where he'd had the search party out looking for her, he felt grateful to Edward and his brothers even if internally he didn't want to be grateful for anything Edward did. Charlie still more than willing to hold his standing decision on the matter. That Edward wasn't good enough for Bella and would only cause her a world of hurt and trouble.

"Charlie I have to warn you... she's been badly attacked. She's going to have some very severe scarring from it" Esme added trying to warn Charlie for when he eventually would see Bella.

Edward was surprised that the first image that filled Charlie's mind at that was of Emily her savagely scarred face from an animal attack. Charlie however didn't realise that both Emily and Bella would now be carrying the scars of not animals but members of the wolf pack. Seeing the image in Charlie's mind only cemented Edward's deep and ever more growing hate for the pack. Even Emily, Sam's imprint had not been spared from such harm. They considered him a bloodsucking leech and yet he'd done all he could to never harm Bella, went against far greater obstacles to ensure her safety and had never harmed her in such a way.

"I'm going to have to call Renee. God I should have gone out looking sooner instead of sitting around waiting, I knew it. Felt that something wasn't right when I didn't hear anything" Charlie struggled not normally emotional, his eyes watered at the thought of his little girl hurt and alone in the forest again needing saving and him failing to protect her again.

Charlie looked over to the position of Edward and his siblings seeing how they were all tightly closed in around Edward, Rose still rubbing his back. Emmet and Jasper standing over the girls and Edward as if to protect them from some unknown danger and Charlie once again couldn't help but respect the closeness of the family. He'd wished he could have given Bella that same type of close family, he and Renee just hadn't worked and Bella had been left alone and become too independent and grown up too quickly. He felt himself glad she'd found them in that moment.

"How is...How is Edward handling it?" Charlie asked even if he stuttered over his words, it had been made no secret to all since Edward's return that Charlie hadn't wanted him around Bella, but now. Knowing it had been Edward who had helped find her and get her help, even seeing how upset Edward was now he couldn't help but feel he'd maybe been a little too hard on him.

He was just a kid after all, a teenager, and Charlie knew all about teenage boys making stupid mistakes he'd had more than his own fair share while growing up. It did shock Edward however hearing Charlie's thoughts on him and the slight shift in them. He'd never done any of this as a way to gain Charlie's favour back. Edward hadn't even considered Charlie in anything he'd done. He couldn't help but feel happy that perhaps Charlie was truly seeing the depths of his feelings for Bella though.

"He's very upset. Very angry, he's not known for his outbursts but he's been reacting badly to how he found Bella. Blaming himself, even if he couldn't have done anything to stop it" Edward couldn't help but think that Esme was trying to get her own message across to him as she said that to Charlie. He did blame himself for what had happened even if logically he'd known it wasn't his fault.

"He feels a little betrayed because she told him she wasn't going to La Push but that's where he found her hurt. Teenage drama" Esme tacked onto the end, as Charlie looked slightly uncomfortable his thoughts understanding that Edward had probably had no idea Bella had gone to visit Jacob.

He understood all too well that situation he'd pushed Bella to remain close to Jacob because he'd believed him better choice for her after what Edward had done. Edward felt his anger spike at that thought. He wished he could have shown Charlie just how wrong he'd been let, to Charlie know that Bella was harmed and in this hospital because of his choice for her. That Jacob had been just as dangerous. No, Edward didn't believe he was as dangerous now. Hadn't he proved just how much control he could hold even in his most instinctual, he'd defended her instead of taking claim of the blood that sang to him.

"That's something I'm confused about she was with her friends from La Push. Why was she alone in the forest around the La Push area? I can't get hold of Billy or any of the guys" Charlie said confused and honestly, a little aggravated that his friends had not had the time to answer the phone to at least tell him Bella wasn't with them or their kids. He'd trusted them to make sure she didn't get herself into any type of trouble, especially with some of the stories he'd been hearing recently about some of the youngster Jacob hanged out with.

"I can't say Charlie, I honestly wouldn't know. I only know what I've been told by Edward from his phone call, and then the boys when they found her" Charlie nodded accepting this at face value. Eventually he'd learn about the deaths, and Edward in that thought hoped the pack were at least not stupid enough to place Charlie in danger by revealing the truth to him. They'd use the cover of an animal attack for the explanation of the deaths and injury to the other boy, Edward did know however that there would be a struggle to keep the coming fights a secret amongst the community. All those deaths of the wolves when they eventually came together wouldn't be ignored, he'd need to speak with Jasper about that. Edward could only assume they'd need to somehow tie the murders of Seattle in with the coming deaths that would happen to the pack members. They had already agreed the best solution was to wait for the approach of Victoria and her army, here outside of the major city and fight her in the wilderness. They'd create a path of death and destruction on their way. It may work making at least the media believe there was some type of movement of the killer or killers, they still weren't close to figuring it out but he was positive the Volturi would know what was happening. Their time in Forks though after this was over that was not up for discussion. They'd remained here too long now, drawn completely too much attention to themselves.

Carlisle then moved into the seated area, in his white doctor's coat forcing a smile towards his family. Edward watched him intently and listened as Carlisle reassured him nothing had changed and Bella was still fine with his thoughts. Charlie moved away from Esme then as he noticed Carlisle and took his hand shaking it firmly, barely registering the cold as he looked at Carlisle. His brown eyes so much like Bella's but now full of worry and concern. Edward ignored the greeting they shared between each other as Esme explained to Carlisle what she'd already told Charlie. Edward mainly focussed on the image in Carlisle's mind of Bella in the hospital bed. They'd chosen to keep from covering the stitched wounds for now to allow it to receive some air to the wound. The nurses and Carlisle had gone over every claw mark on her body. The long slashes that covered her chest and stomach. The thicker ones that had carved around her neck, and the deep jagged slash that cut along her cheek and delved just into the side of her hairline. They had done their best to once again clean around the wound and applied a soothing balm to what appeared the most irritated areas of skin. While Carlisle didn't believe it was bad it appeared that some areas were showing signs of becoming inflamed only time would tell of any infection.

"Can I see her?" Charlie asked finally and Edward took notice then finally looking up from his hunched over position to Carlisle. As Carlisle then forced a smile and nodded. Edward wasn't usually one to force himself onto people but the need, the yearning to be closer to her made him feel the undeniable desire to speak out. Normally more than accepting of Charlie being the main focus, now Edward didn't care if it at all seemed selfish by interjecting himself.

"Can I come too?" Edward said his tone a little more gravelled then even Charlie was used to as both men turned to look down at Edward as he remained seated.

"It's typically only family who can go in son" Carlisle tried to say with caution not wanting to anger Edward and cause for there to be any type of outburst. He more than wanted to be able to say yes but he knew he couldn't play favourites, even when it came to his own family. There was a protocol in place when it came to his job and he didn't want to be seen breaking that, not only by his colleagues but Charlie too. Especially if Charlie didn't want Edward in Bella's room.

"It's okay Carlisle" Charlie placed a hand on Carlisle shoulder to stop him from saying anything further nodding towards Edward.

"I'm okay with your boy coming with us. Bells would want him there" Charlie said with a calm face, even though Edward could hear the internal struggle of his thoughts. Charlie appreciated what the Cullen's had done for Bella but Edward was still a touchy subject with him. In the end, Charlie had to accept that it wasn't about him right now. For all his doubts and concerns about Edward, Bella would want Edward there when she eventually woke up and by continuing to put himself between them he knew he risk pushing her away completely.

"Thank you Charlie" Edward said moving to stand up and then followed his father beside Charlie down the hallway, leaving the remaining family in the waiting room so he could finally be with his mate. Charlie completely remained silent as they walked to Bella's room, even though his mind tried to readily prepare him for what he may come to see. Still though that image of Emily in his mind lingered and Edward hated it, hated that both women had something so similar. While Edward knew the scars on Emily's face were greater than Bella's, he already knew Bella's body had been more savagely marked. The irrational need to once again rip into those who had risked harm to her over came him.

"Bella is still unconscious at the moment and I believe for now that's best. She needs her rest, what happened to her is traumatic and will affect her not only physically but emotionally. She's on pain medication for now and hopefully with everything staying in the clear during the night and morning we'll slowly wean her from the pain meds so she can wake on her own" Carlisle explained as he pushed open the door to the private hospital room.

Edward thought to allow Charlie into the room first instead of rushing ahead. He had listened closely to Charlie's mind, seeing Bella in the bed in her hospital gown. She looked even younger to Charlie in his thoughts then she was, still somewhat seeing his daughter as that pigtailed little girl with her front teeth missing. Charlie wasn't able to hold the tears that spilled over his cheeks at the sight of her there with the thick stitching and dried blood over her sewn shut wounds.

He couldn't see them all but the one on her face and neck bothered him more than enough. Edward couldn't listen to Charlie's thoughts any longer and remain so far from her, even if he only stood in the doorway. He moved right up to the side of her bed, gripping the seat and dragging it closer to her as he placed himself at her bedside where he planned to remain till she woke. Edward tenderly reached for her hand, so warm and soft to the touch against his cold and hard hand. He brought her hand up to his face cupping his own cheek with her hand kissing at her wrist tenderly.

Both Charlie and Carlisle stood silently at the end of Bella's body asleep on the hospital bed, while they watched the tender moment. As Edward kissed her wrist, and holding her hand so gently to his face. Normally a moment like this would have made Charlie uncomfortable, even angry because of Edward being part of it. He watched it now though, without his angry blinders that he'd been forcing himself to wear. Seeing this handsome young man, caring for his daughter so deeply, it made Charlie feel like an intruder. The second her hand had come into contact with his face it had been like Charlie had seen Edward's entire world become lighter somehow. He looked so content and peaceful with his eyes closed leaning his face into Bella's hand, for the first time Charlie looked and truly realised what he'd been too blind to see before because of all that had happened and the age of both Bella and Edward.

" _God he loves her...Loves her more than I ever loved Renee. I can't remember a single moment when Renee and I looked like that together. So completely devoted and in love"_

It shocked Charlie, he'd always known the two felt serious he'd even known Bella had loved him. She'd had too with the way she'd reacted when he'd left with his family. She'd acted more like someone had died then just a teenage break up, for a moment Charlie even wondered how Edward had been in those months apart. He'd never considered that maybe Edward had suffered too, hadn't wanted too. Hadn't Bella said in her note, the reason she'd rushed off was because Edward had believed she'd died, said he'd misunderstood and that they'd had to stop him. He'd not understood completely then, too angry that she'd run to the boy who had hurt her so much. Now Charlie believed he might know what had happened more clearly, had Edward tried to do something to himself. Had the boy he'd outwardly been hostile towards since he returned completely fallen apart and tried to harm himself at believing Bella was gone. It didn't seem out of the question to Charlie in this moment.

It scared him more than anything that his daughter was in love as young as she was and so deeply already. He couldn't help but be thankful for it though, because as his daughter lay there hurt with injuries that promised future scarring that he wasn't sure the world would simply ignore. Edward had not reacted at all. He'd looked at her how he always had, with complete love and care. In the end wasn't that what all parents wanted for their children, to be loved and love in return didn't all parents hope for them to find happiness.

"I'll leave you two with Bella. Take as much time as you need I understand you won't want to be away from her" Carlisle said, Charlie silently thanking him and then exiting the room. Leaving Edward and Charlie alone with Bella, as she lay still resting. They'd been here once before multiple times, it had never been this serious and even though Charlie had no idea of the true danger that loomed Edward could see that Charlie still felt that same unease as if he did know.

"She's going to be okay. Bells, she's a fighter" Charlie said for some reason the need to comfort Edward filling him. While he'd never been considered overly paternal, missing out on so much of Bella's life he didn't like the idea of Edward worrying too much. Especially after he felt he'd gained a little clarity on the kid.

"I just wish she didn't have to fight these types of battles. I wish I'd been able to stop this from ever happening" Edward said honestly, parting his eyes too look across at Charlie who had sat in the other chair across Bella's bed.

"You can't go blaming yourself for things like this. It's horrible; it makes you question your faith in things. I've worked on the force long enough to know that. Bella is tough as nails though and she isn't going to let this keep her down" Charlie said confidently even if his mind wasn't so sure. He worried his very independent quiet daughter may retreat into her shell and he hoped that wasn't the case, he was worried about her suffering nightmares again too which he truly hated the idea of.

"I deserve a lot of blame for some of the things that have happened to Bella though" Edward said wanting to admit, even though he could see Charlie letting go of some of his anger towards him. He didn't feel he warranted forgiveness from him, but he couldn't outright explain to Charlie why he deserved it without revealing too much.

"I know you've been angry with me. I know you don't approve of me. I can't say I blame you for it after how badly I hurt her. I've apologised to Bella but I never apologised to you. I am sorry Charlie... so very sorry for the way I handled things when my family left Forks" Edward said with deep regret as Charlie swallowed hard wanting to wave it off but struggling too either way. Hadn't he wanted this, an apology so he could yell and tell him it never mattered how sorry he was, that he'd never be forgiven. All things that had happened now he didn't think he could give the reaction he'd originally thought he would.

"I can't say I understand the relationship you two share. I think I'm still only just learning what you two mean to each other. I just don't understand how you could have left her like that" Charlie said the thoughts of her lifeless and practically like a walking empty shell. The months after Edward and his family had left, the nights of waking to hear Bella screaming in terror crying out for Edward. Edward tried to not react to Charlie's thoughts even if it felt like he'd been gutted physically by the memories of what he'd done to her.

"I wished I'd never left. I was foolish. I thought a clean break would... I thought it make her move on faster. I didn't want her to suffer I thought by giving her a clean break she could be happy. Of course I knew I would always love her but if by doing so gave her the chance to be happy I would have suffered it alone" Edward said trying his best to explain the events of past to Charlie in a human way, he couldn't tell Charlie about his desire to keep her safe from his own family and his true nature. Couldn't tell Charlie that by leaving he'd hoped to save Bella's soul from becoming tainted by being with him and wanting to join him in immortality.

"Sounds to me, all you did was make the both of you suffer. You doubted she felt the same for you, otherwise you'd have known it wouldn't have mattered she'd have wanted to be with you" Edward nodded in agreement with Charlie it had become all too clear that they had both doubted each other's love. It had been insecurities that hadn't helped them. He'd felt a monster, she had believed herself not good enough. It had created a disaster in the end.

"I'm sure you don't want to talk about it. Bella sure doesn't ever seem open to talking to me about it, but when she rushed off to go to you. I was mad as hell, didn't want her near you after what you'd done. Alice showing up I was okay with, which I know is unfair too because you all left, not just you. Why did she have to rush off to go to you Edward?" Charlie asked directly, it was a surprise to Edward how open Charlie was to having a conversation with him. Edward had always viewed Charlie as the silent type. It seemed with the silence and unknown of Bella and Charlie's belief he'd been holding a grudge that could risk his relationship with his daughter in the future was ready to try and understand. Like Edward had come to accept he needed to change Bella or risk losing her, Charlie was seeing it very much the same to keep Bella he needed to accept Edward.

"It was a miscommunication. I'd ran away from home, I couldn't be around my family anymore and yet I was scared if I came back to Forks alone she'd turn me away. I called your home and then was informed you were at a funeral" Edward struggled thinking on that moment now he'd been held up in an attic in Brazil, starving himself and hiding from the world. Edward moved his free hand, moving to caress Bella's hair moving a lock of her silky locks he loved behind her ear his other hand still holding Bella's warm hand to his face.

"I just assumed... I thought something had happened to Bella. It was irrational but I wasn't in a good place by then. Weeks living homeless, starving myself, missing Bella and then this stranger telling me you were at a funeral. I thought she was gone" Edward looked from Bella into Charlie's eyes wanting to make it perfectly clear to Charlie his feelings for Bella.

"I refused to live in a world where Bella wasn't. It was selfish and irrational but I couldn't bare it, I'm sure Alice realised when I left her the message telling her I was sorry that I was going to do something drastic" Edward finished he wasn't ashamed of admitting that he'd wanted to die when he'd believed Bella was gone and he wasn't afraid to let Charlie know this. Bella was everything too him.

Charlie was shocked by what Edward said. While he'd never thought to know how the separation had affected Edward, he'd never truly believed it had affected him that much. He didn't enjoy the images of seeing Edward alone on the street living rough, he was too young for that harsher living and even more Charlie was concerned if perhaps Edward was in need of some type of therapy. God knew he'd tried to convince Bella to talk to someone but she'd refused, hearing that Edward had been so ready to end his life while not surprising after he'd thought about it didn't sit right with him. He understood all too well about feeling like giving up, he'd been that way after Renee had left him and taken Bella. There had been days after she'd gone Charlie had just wanted it all to go away.

Charlie had been lucky enough to have friends who had reached out to him in those lonely dark times and tried to get him back in the real world. Both men allowed the silence to surround them after that not usually known for speaking too much with each other they let the deep conversation they'd had go. Edward and Charlie were both happy to simply listen to the sound of Bella's steady breathing as she slept. While the animosity wasn't completely buried it was clear that even in these tragic events and darker times that loomed ahead, perhaps there was still a chance for Edward to gain Bella's father's respect.

Charlie and Edward had remained silent watchers over Bella, they had come to some type of silent agreement amongst themselves that when one would need to leave the other would remain. Both had taken to never wanting to be far from Bella during the night. Charlie had of course had to leave for a time to finally contact Bella's mother Renee and her husband Phil about what had happened. It was evidently clear after the conversation when Charlie returned he was exhausted, he'd refused anyone who'd offered to take him home to rest. Charlie had been grateful that the Cullen's as a whole though had refused to leave, with Carlisle's position and a little Jasper influence they'd managed to acquire the small waiting room they'd been placed as a somewhat permanent placement for now. The nurses had been slightly irritated of course, but Jasper and Emmet had worked to charm them. Edward was only glad a job usually left to him was handled by his siblings. He'd not left Bella's side once since he'd been brought to her room, had refused every time anyone had offered to keep watch to give him a moment away. They understood his need to be with his mate; even Charlie didn't seem concerned by the intensity of Edward.

The call came during the early hours of the morning to Charlie; Sue Clearwater had finally contacted him after all of his ignored calls.

"Sue please calm down" Charlie had whispered into his phone as Edward had listened to the crying woman's voice through the phone as Charlie tried to console her, even if he'd felt he had enough problems of his own.

"I just wanted to let you know Charlie" Sue had sobbed her voice rougher then Edward knew it too be and he listened to Charlie's mind go completely blank for a moment.

"We found some of the boys. They'd been attacked by a savage animal" Sue had lied but her grief and Charlie's own from knowing Bella had been attacked by an animal in La Push made him understand, he didn't question it. The pack had been smart not to dispute the clear cover, none of them wanted exposure even if it appeared that risk was inevitable at least for Edward and his family to the Volturi.

"Are they okay Sue. Bella she must have been with them I'm at the hospital now she's been... it's bad" Charlie rubbed his hand over his face shaking his head.

"Thank god she was found by the Cullen's" Charlie said and both men heard the hitch in Sue's breathing at the mention of his family, the silence lingered for a moment then. Of course Charlie was the only blind one to the reality of what happened, Sue a council member since the death of her husband would know that Jacob had shifted and harmed Bella. She'd know that then Edward Cullen had crossed the treaty line into La Push and proceeded to kill two of the pack and injured a third to take her to safety.

"... Jacob died Charlie. Both Paul and Jacob died from the attack. Embry is in a bad condition and our healers are doing all they can for him" Charlie paled at that looking then from Bella too Edward. Charlie did his best to mask his expression while Edward remained staring at Bella holding her hand. Even then as he listened to memories of Jacob as a small child in Charlie's mind and the pain that filled him at the news of his death, Edward felt nothing.

It shocked him, while he'd made it clear to his family he'd feel no remorse it had been his anger and his need to justify what he'd done. He'd always expected to at least feel some type of shame at his acts especially when confronted with those who carried feelings and memories of the boy he'd ended. Edward however realised he'd wanted Jacob dead, wanted him dead long before what he'd done to Bella. Edward was coming to see that Carlisle may have been right in his deeper thought that Edward had simply been waiting for that moment, that moment where Jacob crossed some invisible line drawn in his own mind to take out not just a threat to his mate physically, but a threat to his relationship. Hadn't immortals done this for centuries, mated pairs were widely known to be the only way vampires could travel simply because of the jealousy. Edward had been jealous, he'd been enraged at Bella for what he'd believed a betrayal, and he'd hated the child's belief that he could take Bella from him.

" _It doesn't matter. He's dead, he harmed her and he paid the price of his lack of control and arrogance."_ Edward thought coldly of what had happened and calmed himself enough to not show Charlie any visible signs of awareness beyond that of a normal human.

"Jake... what? I'm I... is Billy okay?" Charlie stood then his emotions finally getting the better of him, he'd been so scared about what had happened to Bella and then with the lack of sleep hearing his best friend had lost his son in what may have been the same attack was too much. Edward silently watched Charlie exit from Bella's room rather quickly, Charlie's mind conjuring one image though before Edward tuned him out of Bella laying bloody on the forest floor and a large beastly animal tearing into Jacob's throat.

Rosalie and Emmet entered into the room after Charlie's quick exit. They too had heard enough and Jasper had been the one to decide to keep watch over the chief and what the pack were allowing to be said about the incident. Edward smiled at his siblings as they moved into the room Emmet standing at the foot of Bella's bed touching the metal barriers stroking his fingers along it as he tried not to look directly at Bella. He was struggling to see his little sister in such a state, while he'd playfully teased about her clumsiness seeing her so vulnerable bothered him. Rosalie took the seat that Charlie had once had claim of looking at Bella's face briefly then reaching over the joined hands of Edward and Bella and giving Edward a reassuring pat on his hand as Edward nodded at Rosalie thankful for her concern.

"Alice has told us that Charlie will want to go home after his phone call. He won't want to be seen crying in front of us all, Jasper has said that we should go watch over him just for a short time should any of the pack approach him at the house" Edward nodded understanding. Jasper wasn't their mastermind of strategy for no reason and it wasn't too far out of the question for members of the pack, to go there to Charlie and try and make things difficult. Though Edward wasn't sure how they'd do that without making themselves appear as liars now, they'd have a hard time blaming the Cullen's for the deaths when they'd just admitted it was an animal too.

"Has anything changed?" Emmet asked nodding his head towards Bella as Edward turned to smile even if it looked forced at her sleeping face his hand moving from hers to caress her cheek

"She should be able to wake on her own during the day. She's resting now, probably only thing keeping her asleep is the pain medication. Carlisle was concerned about inflamed areas of the wounds but it seems to have not progressed further then bruising and swelling" Edward told them as he moved his hand from her cheek sighing audibly and shifting his body closer. Watching her sleep had been something he'd done since the very beginning, he had very fond memories of the times he'd spent watching her sleep.

"Good that's good" Emmet said somewhat awkwardly usually the reliever of awkward tension he wasn't sure what to say in this moment, he moved from the edge of the bed and moved to Rosalie's side placing his hand on her shoulder.

"Have you thought how you'll explain this all to her?" Rosalie wasn't one to shy away from the harder subjects. She was certainly worried about fighting the mutts. She also feared that her husband Emmet was too eager and seeing it more as a game and even though his size and strength would help him she'd known he'd never been in a true fight that could result in his death, neither had she. Right now she was relying on Jasper and Edward the two with the most experience in fighting to protect and guide Emmet through this all.

"I'll be honest. The pack will want her to believe I attacked for no reason. I know she'll struggle, she's had this idea of me that I'm not dangerous, the same idea she had of the pack. She's going to have her eyes opened that she wasn't as safe as she believed. While that dog hurt her physically I'm more then aware I'm about to hurt her emotionally. He was her friend, all of the pack were and I've killed two and plan to kill more" Edward said honestly moving his eyes to Emmet and Rose as they were there silently and concerned in their minds for how this would affect Bella and Edward.

"She isn't going to be easy to make understand this" Emmet said as Rosalie placed her own hand over her husband's on her shoulder.

"No I don't believe she will be. She's human and she's selfless. A good person. The pack was there for her and she's said many times she owes them for that, keeping her sane..." Edward's expression twisted in aggravation as he turned away from looking at his siblings pinching the bridge of his nose sighing.

"She loves me. She's my mate that bond can't be broken. She may not like what I've done, may hate me for it. We can't change what happened now, I've acted I took lives and we have to end this. We don't have the luxury of leaving because we have to deal with Victoria here. We all know she'd have those newborns follow us wreaking havoc and death wherever they went. We have to keep the deaths contained to this area as not to give the Volturi any more reason to come for our family. The pack will kill me if they can hopefully Bella is more in tune with the mating bond then we thought and she feels just as protective of me. She'd be more accepting of ridding a threat that way" Edward explained knowing it too be true if Bella was a vampire her first instinct would be to keep Edward safe and she'd naturally despise the wolves, she'd not hesitate to stand with Edward. She was human though and had bonds with the pack; he hoped he was strong enough to handle what was coming. Hoped that he hadn't ruined his chance at forever with Bella.

"We'll figure this out as a family. Like we always have, Bella too" Rosalie said and Edward agreed as he nodded to his sister seeing her acceptance of Bella as a member of the family. She'd struggled to see past her own views in the past but knew that Edward needed her now to be supportive in this, it was about more than just Bella remaining human now.

"Has Alice seen anything of Carlisle?" Emmet shook his head at Edward's question "He's still unsure. I understand this isn't what he believes in, life is precious to him" Edward accepted this, hadn't he spent the longest of time out of all of them with Carlisle being the first Carlisle ever created.

"Rose we should get going" Emmet said seeing Charlie come into the room then, both Edward's siblings moved Rosalie kissing his cheek Emmet tapping him on the back as they left. He knew that the two would be leaving soon to watch over Charlie for now. He didn't like the idea of them being alone out there especially with the treaty broken, there was so much that could threaten them now.

Charlie didn't wait around long after he entered back into the room, he was silent for a time thinking over what Sue had told him. He was worried about Billy but he felt guilty for wanting to leave and get away for a little, like he was abandoning Bella. Charlie had told Edward that other's had been attacked, he'd pieced together his own story then believing that Bella had been with the boys from La Push messing around near the forest of Jacob's home. Charlie had assumed that the group of them had been attacked by some type of animal he'd heard stories about large wolves spotted. He then told Edward that Jacob had been found dead and Edward pretended to be shocked and apologetic to Charlie. It had become too much then and Charlie had decided to go home. Edward had understood. Promised that he or his family would remain with Bella and would contact him with any news should anything change at all. Charlie simply needed time to grieve away from people, seeing as he was usually not an emotional man and used to being very much a loner to himself he didn't want anyone seeing him break down. Edward hadn't been left alone with Bella for very long before Jasper had appeared at his side.

"Alice's visions have gone black" Jasper said seriously knowing both would know what that meant "Carlisle has seen figures just on the outskirts of the parking lot near the tree line" Edward nodded standing up then from his seat finally looking down at Bella.

"Esme, can you stay with Bella?" Edward asked even though he knew his adoptive mother wasn't in the room he doubted the family wouldn't be listening, and then when Esme appeared in the doorway he received his answer "Thank you. If they are here they clearly want to talk. I can't leave her alone and I'm sure it would make Carlisle feel a lot better if you weren't present for whatever this is" Esme moved toward Edward squeezing his forearm gently.

"Don't worry, I'll watch over her. Please just watch over your father" Esme asked of Edward but revealed more in her mind, she knew her husband's struggle with what was happening and knew this made him vulnerable to harm. Too trusting and willing to make peace with the pack, she feared them taking advantage of his compassionate nature. Edward leant forward kissing the top of Esme's hair, once more turning to Bella his fingers tenderly tracing over the back of her hand.

"Be back soon love" he whispered to her silent form curious on if she could hear him, without reaction Edward exited the room moving to Alice and Carlisle with Jasper.

"It appears Billy Black is with some of the members of the pack they are in human form. Though I can't be sure if any of the pack are hidden within the trees in wolf form" Carlisle said, Edward shook his head his mind reading picking up on the members that were there they hadn't thought to keep any wolves in the cover of the trees. Though he didn't know if they had any wolves around the Forks area, they certainly hadn't thought of it so Edward couldn't be sure. It appeared though that only Sam and Billy planned on remaining to talk as the other pack members were being dismissed.

"Have you already warned Rose and Emmet?" Edward asked, concerned where the remaining pack members would go.

"Yeah, I called them. I've told them to stay where they are for now. Took some convincing on Rose's part to keep Emmet where he was he's annoyed he isn't here with you" Alice replied, her mind hating how the wolves affected her sight. Though had they had the gift of Alice's visions at use then there wouldn't have been a concern for them at all. Not that there wasn't ways around his sister's gift, Victoria had shown that, though naturally evasive as a talent seemed to work far more than any of them had believed originally.

"Let's go see what our guests want" Jasper said taking Alice's hand and Edward moved ahead, flanked by Carlisle on his left and Jasper and Alice on his right.

"Edward wait, take out the contacts" Alice said with a mischievous look in her eyes, Edward couldn't help but feel and see the pride that what Alice said created in Jasper as he saw the little devil in his mate.

"It'll certainly have some type of an impact. Our eyes have always been a somewhat link to the treaty, yellow eyes means the treaty stands. Them seeing you red eyed and not bothered will make them confused fearful even" Jasper said leaning down to peck his mate's lips smirking at Alice "Brilliant idea, darling" Jasper crooned to Alice.

"It will make them see we stand together in spite of you having different colour eyes" Carlisle even added as Edward then reached up placing a finger on the irritating lenses and removing them one at a time crushing it in his hand and then wiping the offending objects away looking between each his family members as they moved then together.

"Are you sure this is what you want Carlisle?" Edward asked once more of his father never wishing to place Carlisle in a position where he had to go against his own beliefs. He knew they all stood on their own fine lines of going against everything Carlisle had taught them, Edward had often believed Carlisle and Esme were the heart of the family he couldn't bare breaking his father's heart, but much more than his father's beliefs were at risk now.

"I've loved you since the day I created you Edward. I saw you as my son long before I changed you and I'll see you as my son long after this world ends" Carlisle said openly accepting this path, he would struggle he still hadn't made his choice on what he would do when the fighting began but he wasn't going to abandon Edward not now. His father would have never accepted him had he learnt what Carlisle had become even knowing he'd never drank human blood. Carlisle couldn't become a man who judged and then turned away from his son, or any of his children. He'd weather the storm with them, help them and guide them, he couldn't expect them to all follow his belief that all life should be allowed to live.

"Thank you" Edward said gratefully as they exited the hospital into the early morning, the sky above them a midnight blue in colour with just a hint of the morning light peaking through the darkness. Edward was ready to lead his family, face the enemies they had be it the pack, Victoria or even the Volturi.

They would disagree and argue over different beliefs and ideas of how best to protect the family but when it came down to the very line, they would stand together. So when Billy Black and Sam stood waiting for the Cullen's they saw them approaching with Edward slightly ahead of his family with them ready to stand by him. Even in the darkness of the early morning sun Billy and Sam both could see the ruby glare of Edward's eyes and they saw the young man for what he'd always been to them, a blood drinking monster. A killer, there was no false pretence that they were hiding what they were now too long had the pack accused the Cullen's of hiding their true motives and now Edward stood confidently and surrounded by a dark air of power that both Quileute men had always refused to see.

"Gentleman, I believe you wished to gain my attention" Edward smirked coming to a stop and the vicious insults both had planned to snarl at them had fallen limp at their tongues. Both speechless and fearful to finally see the embodiment of the tales of the cold ones they'd always feared, the Cullen family no longer seeming a weak imitation of their enemy, they were the real thing. This was a cold one.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N Hey everyone, I've had a little bit more spare time between writing the rest of the story and now have devoted some extra time going over my work and editing my past chapters. So while this is still a rough draft compared to previous chapters having them Beta'd I'm hoping you'll all be happier with the more frequent updates. The amount of people reading the story is really great and it's a real boost especially considering how I'd not been sure if I'd start posting on the site again. You've all made me happy I stuck with this idea and started back on fan fiction though so thank you all my readers. And thank you too any who have recommended the story out or have reviewed it's always really cool getting to know what you guys think. Oh and too all my American readers I'd like to wish you all an early happy 4th of July and look forward to hearing back next week when I update again.**

 **RED DAWN**

 **SUMMARY:** Edward had always warned Bella that the pack were dangerous. Hostile, volatile and aggressive in nature. She ignored him, testing even Edward's own vampire instinct by staying friends with his enemy, Jacob. One event will change them all, Bella never truly understood the supernatural world. Didn't understand the aggression that lay dormant even in her controlled mate until it was too late. Warning: Violence and Character death.

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the Characters.**

* * *

 **Chapter Four**

"Gentleman, I believe you wish to gain my attention" Edward smirked coming to a stop and the vicious insults both had planned to snarl at them had fallen limp at their tongues. Both speechless and fearful to finally see the embodiment of the tales of the cold ones they'd always feared. The Cullen family no longer seeming a weak imitation of their enemy, they were the real thing.

There was a long pause then as both sides stood, neither daring to even look away as if by blinking or shifting even slightly would reveal some type of weakness in the foundation of their set formations. The Quileute members, Billy Black and Sam Uley however for most parts were just mortal men, the stillness of the Cullen's unnerved them. They'd become so used to them all making themselves appear mortal. Not only to those around Forks but even in the rare meetings between both species sides, they had always seemed very human. Of course the pack had always known the truth but now seeing them all, standing so still they appeared stone like and unyielding. And then the red eyes, and confidence and the cool dark velvety edge to Edward's tone, introduced to them strangers. For the first time they did not recognise this man, always a boy to them in mind before, now he appeared much more than that. They'd believed they'd known all they had too about the Cullen's, now they felt as blind as Alice with her visions now.

In the silence though there was the thoughts of both men Sam Uley was enraged by the deaths and attack on those he cared for as brothers. Being the oldest of the wolves he'd introduced each member into this life, on his own as was the duty of the alpha. Billy Black's anger was from the murder of his son. He'd been inconsolable when Sam and Jared had come to find him to tell him about Jacob. He'd demanded to be allowed to see the bodies, being taken to his home where it had once been filled with his children and wife and then seeing now he would be alone. Seeing all his hard efforts to keep his son with him and the pack alive as a united power were failed, because to him Sam was never to be the leader. Without Jacob, Billy Black saw no future for the pack. Seeing his son, the future leader of their people so large and strong to Billy's eyes reduced to nothing more than a lifeless body with grotesque gaping wounds. His body dumped like the life that had once been within his son had meant nothing, it had physically made Billy sick.

His hatred had been clear on the Cullen's from the beginning of them arriving, he'd only endured the treaty because Sam had been the only one to shift. Also Ephraim Black had been sure they could coexist, that had never allowed Billy to see past his disgust though, and even at his own bloodline's treaty he'd always desired its destruction. Finding his son dead, finding his daughter's imprinter Paul his body so disturbingly mangled foam and puss leaking from his mouth and eyes as the venom had worked its evil. It had broken an edge to Billy's usually focussed mind, now it seemed lost of control and Edward was seeing the beginnings of twisted thoughts before hidden to him. Secrets that went against all that the pack were supposed to stand for.

"You stand there so smug. So sure of your actions, you are nothing but a parasite. A monster you have killed my son, the future leader of my people. You have killed my daughter's future husband and paralysed a young man cursing him to the life stuck in a wheelchair" Billy spat towards Edward his hands gripping his own wheelchair tightly. Edward remained emotionless as Billy Black angrily yelled at him.

"You will pay for your crimes against our tribe. You and your entire coven of leeches will pay" Billy roared loudly his eyes warn tired and bloodshot from exhaustion. Pointing wildly towards them wishing for them to react wanting them to lash out. Sam had refused to attack instantly at finding the bodies, he'd refused to take the pack and attack the Cullen's which had infuriated Billy. Sam's only concession had been that he'd bring Billy to face the Cullen's, he wouldn't leave Billy alone realising finally that the Cullen's would kill when provoked. He would stay by Billy's side, but he refused to bring the young members of the pack to face these foes. Not while they were still unprepared.

"You have nothing to say? You stand there red eyed blatantly disrespecting your promise. You have fed from humans. We see it in your eyes, are we to believe you haven't killed the Swan girl?" Sam said and a deep guttural hiss vibrated around them as Edward's eyes turned from red to black. Carlisle needing to place a hand on Edward's shoulder to prevent him from taking a step forward.

"You do not speak her name" Edward growled glaring at Sam menacingly.

"If your kind could control yourself this would have never happened. You yourself know of the lack of restraint you dogs have. Is your own imprint not deformed from your hand" Edward taunted Sam hitting him verbally with the attack that so deeply wounded Sam's mind.

The guilt he carried at being the one to so deeply harm the woman he was imprinted upon, still to this day it affected him. Edward was surprised by the images that filtered through Billy's mind though. Of more people harmed, in such a way as both Emily and Bella had been. It shocked Edward even as he held tightly to his anger, to his control to mask what he was seeing in both men's minds.

"You won't speak of Emily" Sam growled back his shoulders tensing and bunching up under the skin impressively.

"Then we are at an agreement you will not speak of my mate and I won't speak of your imprint. While I must say I commend you on your bravery or perhaps stupidity for showing here. You aren't welcome and this is our lands" Edward hissed pointing behind both men from the direction they had come from "I suggest you leave. Nothing you have to say is of any importance to us" Edward said with finality.

"No it wouldn't be. You kill our men and you expect us to do nothing..." Billy Black tried to intervene yelling and it aggravated Edward his mind so much like Jacob's had been. Both men having this same belief they were always right, both incredibly manipulative of the people around them, both hiding a darkness that was circled around the benefitting of only themselves.

"I expect you to realize that your words mean nothing to me" Edward hissed as he shifted Carlisle's hand from his shoulder moving to step forward into the space in front of him. As Sam moved to stand in front of Billy, to all but block Edward from Billy.

"Your son, Billy. He shifted. He transformed into the beast that your people hide. He hurt Bella, he cut into her soft human skin and carved her up he sprayed her blood against your garage wall. I ran to her, I ran to save her from your son and he decided to stop me. So deep his hatred he would leave the girl he claimed to love dying on the floor at his hand to fight me. He wanted to get between a vampire and his mate, does your tales not speak of how deadly that is? Did the tale of the third wife teach you nothing Billy Black? I killed your son. I did it quickly and without any effort because he means nothing to me when the life of my love hangs in the balance" Edward snarled Jasper working his influence to try and calm his brother his anger escalating to heights Jasper hadn't felt from Edward ever before.

"Do you wish for me to repent, plead for your forgiveness so you can deny it and then I allow you to take my life? Would this give you your hunger for vengeance? If you are waiting for me to give you my life, child you shall be waiting longer then you shall live. Your son paid for his act against Bella with his life. You and I both know the secrets you hide Billy Black consider this the justice owed" Edward said darkly as his family looked on at Edward confused. Realising he was picking up on things from Billy's mind, though Jasper's curiosity piqued at the possible secrets the chief of the Quileute's could possibly have.

"I don't care about Bella" Billy yelled surprising many of those around the confrontation Edward's own family members as well as Sam looking at Billy stunned.

"She's done nothing but create problems for my people. Believe me I want her to pay for my son's death just as much as you" Billy yelled hysterically his anger looming on the very brink of his human sanity. Edward merely looked at the elderly man in his wheelchair with a deathly silence that made the very hairs on both Sam and Billy's arms stand at attention as Edward looked down at the wheelchair bound human.

"I would take your chief away from here if I was you dog" Jasper finally spoke up then the first of the Cullen's to speak out as Edward had completely stilled his gaze unwavering on Billy's form. Billy's body panting with the exertion from his yelling and his heartbeat franticly thumping wetly in the ears of Edward.

"Very foolish of you to bring a grieving man to only anger your enemy when you desire peace is it not" Jasper said using his ability to see and predict the emotions that Sam was feeling. Edward had seen that Sam wanted no more death and even the shock at what Billy had said.

Sam was struggling with it the loss of his friends and pack members, but also knowing that Bella was a human. Bella had been harmed he wasn't sure how responsible Edward could be held knowing all too well how any of the pack would have reacted to Edward crossing the treaty line even just to save Bella. There was also the shame, a long held regret and guilt that clouded his thoughts and emotions there, this long held secret of the pack and council one that made Sam feel like this was all warranted. That they'd deserved this action against them. It was only Edward though, in his complete silence and void of movement that registered this in the deeper part of his enhanced mind that was still focussing on the minds and thoughts that washed through his own immortal conscious.

"We aren't finished here. You will have to answer for what you have done to my pack. Two innocents killed another paralysed for the rest of his life. This will not be forgotten or ignored, whatever actions that are taken from this point on are on you" Sam said looking from Jasper to Edward.

Edward still in the same position, though he looked ready to strike at any given moment and Sam would much rather Billy be far away when that time came. When he'd need to fight against the vampires, he'd already mentally decided he would be the one to end Edward when the time came. He saw now that peace was certainly out of the question. His people's hatred was vast and unforgiving and he was beginning to see that with Edward taking the role as leader of his family there wouldn't be any hope especially with Bella in hospital.

"Stop... Sam. What are you doing I'm not finished" Billy yelled as Sam began to push Billy's wheelchair towards the tree line of the car park.

Edward watched like a predator stalking his prey, as Sam took every step watching both men's minds intently siphoning any intelligence his family would need for when the pack would eventually attack. The pack had made another vital error in judgement. While they had learnt from Bella the talents the family had within, they were arrogant to believe their very mortal minds could keep him from seeing. His family were hard pressed to block his gift and they had the added advantage of the vampire mind, Billy Black was human and Sam while a shifter his mind was no different. Edward watched and he unlocked, seeing every disgusting and disturbing act of the not so noble pack.

"Edward, are you okay?" Alice asked moving towards him once Sam and Billy Black had broken through the tree line and their forms became submerged by the foliage. But yet Edward remained still even as Alice placed her hand on his back.

"Son, you need to calm down" Carlisle said evenly moving to stand in front of Edward and break his line of sight.

Carlisle had seen this very similar look previously from Edward in his return from his human drinking days. When Edward would see something in a human's mind that usually tied to how he'd hunt. He'd see a dark thought, with darker intention and begin stalking them and their mind to wait for when they finally decided to act, and then he'd drain the human. Of course Carlisle had seen this when Edward had chosen to turn back to the animal diet, but he'd tried his best to help Edward through those moments that his hunter became all too clear. When an evil act was completely revealed through his mind reading and he decided that he would play the part of executioner for the truly wicked of the human kind.

"I would have killed him had he been allowed to continue" Edward gritted through his teeth, shifting his body then slowly as he tried to appear less stiff and ready to pounce.

"I should have expected it. The lack of concern they have for Bella even though one of them is the reason behind her injuries. He's Charlie's best friend and to him, she doesn't matter. Doesn't matter, if Jacob had hurt her or killed her. It would have been okay because he's a wolf and they have problems with control. They are so blind, his one argument all this time for our kind being around. That we may slip, we might kill and he knows the wolves are just as dangerous, but because they are his people's monster it doesn't matter" Edward hissed shaking his head.

"I should have seen this. The lack of care. The disregard of their pack's mistakes. No wonder they can't control themselves, any mistakes are covered up" Edward slapped his first against his own palm but what he'd said shocked Carlisle. His own mind faltering on Edward's words he couldn't understand what it meant that the pack had been covering up mistakes. Jasper took a measured step closer, seeing that he may learn sooner what the secrets Billy had been keeping were, now that his mind reading brother had discovered them.

"What do you mean mistakes have been covered up Edward?" Carlisle asked now concerned.

"Sam wasn't the only one to lash out. This wasn't the first time Jacob had hurt a human. All this time they've been shifting within the community but because of the lack of authority on La Push, because of it being a reservation and the council being in control they cover up everything. I've been so blind to it, Harry Clearwater's heart attack it wasn't a heart attack at all. Leah shifted too close to her father. Paul has done so multiple times and their people aren't unaware, even those outside of the council members of the tribe know, they've known all along. Billy he was so upset, so angry his mind was all but open to everything" Edward moved his hand up running his fingers through his hair gripping it tightly.

"Wait so they've killed human members of their tribe because of the anger. And Billy, Sue and Old Quil have just been covering it up?" Alice asked shocked, they all were.

Edward felt stupid though. How blind had he been, he'd been rejecting his ability for most of his life trying to tune people out instead of listen to what was being thought around him. Had he known to listen closer, he may have heard something. It hadn't helped the pack was aware of his talent so they'd tried to somewhat not think around him. Billy had made that mistake for them though now. The only member of the pack that he regularly dealt with was Jacob, and his thoughts were always so focussed on insulting him and thinking of Bella in ways that boiled inside of Edward. He'd forced himself to focus his mind elsewhere when around the mutt simply as a way to not upset Bella, and verbally address what he thought or to simply attack Jacob on the spot. And Jacob had deserved it for some of his thoughts too.

"It's why we know nothing about the younger boys, the ones I've only barely seen in thoughts. They're keeping them away from the community because they've began to speak out against the council and the deaths" Edward explained and finally Carlisle felt he'd heard too much. He couldn't believe something like this had been right under their noses, of course La Push wasn't their responsibility. They'd been gone for a long period of time when the pack had been awoken. He couldn't believe lives had been taken and no one had noticed enough to do anything about it or perhaps too scared.

"So much for protecting humans" Jasper said sarcastically.

"Ephraim would be ashamed of what they've become. I thought Old Quil would be able to control them. His father was a shifter, I'm shocked and deeply disappointed in myself for not noticing how different these members of the pack are compared to that of the past" Carlisle said with deep regret. Hadn't they often mentioned how much more hostile and violent these members had been, they'd always put it down to the youth of the members of the pack, but Sam was an adult. The same age now as Old Quil's father had been when they'd made the treaty.

"You can't be expected to know anything about the pack Carlisle. You had a good relationship with Ephraim and Old Quil's father but it was tense they never trusted us, not completely they'd have never explained the depths of what they were capable of" Edward assured Carlisle.

He'd seen the distrust, while the three original wolves of the pack had come to see Carlisle as an intelligent good man they'd by no means trusted him. They'd seen the entire family as a dangerous threat that they couldn't afford to anger. They'd even speculated that the eyes had been a lie created by vampire's so old their eyes changed colour showing them as even more powerful. It had been something Edward and Carlisle had been amused about during the time they'd been in Forks then. Over time the fear had left, the distrust had remained and then turned to hate.

"One thing is clear though, and that for all our talking about them being protectors of human life and that we're the natural enemy and danger to humans. They are the only ones taking human lives" Jasper said bluntly and it was true, while Edward had killed two members of the pack they had harmed innocents.

Edward had however begun to unravel a secret they'd even managed to keep hidden from him. From some of the images in Billy's mind Jacob and Paul alone had harmed and killed human's in the last recent couple of months, the stories of hiking accidents they believed to be Victoria may not have even been her, Edward listened as Jasper came to a somewhat similar theory.

"Those hiking attacks last month didn't mention any type of draining of blood. Limbs removed but nothing unusual for an actual animal attack...maybe?" Jasper's mind was remembering the image of the newspaper he'd read with Emmet when they'd been planning a scouting search towards the Seattle area for newborns and he'd noticed the kill closer to Forks.

"That's true Jasper" Edward said seeing the idea form in his mind about the hiking accidents of recent since they'd returned to Forks.

"It isn't out of the question with what I just saw. The pack may be responsible for some of the hiking accidents. We've assumed they were Victoria but even in the articles they've never mentioned about the blood draining. Also the fact people have been going missing not showing up dead on the streets it doesn't add up to Victoria's scheme. She's done everything she can to build her army secretly. Why would she go to that extent to just kill hikers around our home, as far as we know Victoria has only come here to look over the area and try to find gaps in our families defences" Edward further added to the thought track his mind was going on. Taking information from Jasper's own thoughts to help him express what he feared could be further signs of the corruption of the pack under their own lack of control.

"It's something we must look into even further. I know I've made my opinion clear on killing the pack and that still stands. I do not enjoy or agree with the belief we have to kill them. Them harming humans though must be addressed, we should return to the hospital. I'm sure our absence has been noticed" Carlisle said finally pulling his family back to the problem at hand first.

Edward's mind was reeling however, he had so many questions to ask Bella she'd been around the pack since they'd first formed he wondered how his usually observant mate had missed this. Not that he could fault her even his mind reading had missed it. Essentially it changed nothing. His opinion even before this new secret had come to light had been made, the pack were a threat to his family and mate he wouldn't allow. Billy didn't care about Bella and wished her to be punished just as much as Edward so he would do everything in his power to protect himself and Bella. Even if that meant killing a weak, elderly man in a wheelchair to ensure Bella's safety. Even in Billy's disabled human condition he would not underestimate an enemy while his mate was still easily vulnerable to anything.

As a whole the Cullen family had returned to the posts they'd taken up since Bella's arrival at the hospital, to all the colleagues of Carlisle they appeared as they always had. A strange yet loyal family that stood together. That's loyalty had even spread to the girlfriend of one of the children. People both respected and idly gossiped about it. Carlisle began his shift working in the wards while continuing to keep tabs on Bella, though he knew that any of his family members would have picked up on something had it been of any real concern. Emmet and Rose had returned not long after the confrontation with Billy and Sam. Jasper and Alice had caught up the family on what had happened. Everyone had simply left Edward to return to his mate.

Though his family worries didn't end at the news of the dirty secrets of the pack. Many of them felt concerned of Edward's emotional state, so drastically his opinions had shifted and with change so rare for a vampire. They found themselves questioning the drastically more threatening and confident Edward that was emerging. Jasper and Emmet were very much in approval of Edward's shifted personality while Alice and Esme were concerned about it, and what it could possibly come to mean for the dynamic of the family. Rose was content not to feel overly concerned by it, dramatic in nature herself she didn't see any reason why they'd feel Edward wouldn't be aggressive, and expected with the safety of his mate gained in the future he'd return to her more self contained brother.

Charlie had remained at his home, he'd been emotionally incapable of returning and with the constant watch of Alice they were confident he'd be fine left alone. The light of morning had finally cast over Forks and they were fortunate for the consistent dreary weather of their home, the concern of the sun all but forgotten.

"Alice has seen the Denali's arriving within the hour, we've decided to meet them a ways from this location just as a precaution. Jasper and Emmet didn't pick up on anything around us of wolves but better safe than sorry" Rose told Edward his family had continued to keep watch over him and Bella throughout the morning, reminding him to move as not to appear human.

It seemed that when everyone was giving Edward distance he slipped into a silent guard over Bella, he'd almost given one of the nurses a scare earlier. Alice watching so intently everything had almost missed the fact Edward's lenses had broken down and his red eyes had almost been caught by a nurse. They'd fixed the issue before it had become a problem but Edward was very much out of sorts when he had no need to be confronting his enemy or planning the end of them, he simply became nothing more than a statue beside Bella.

"That's a good plan" Edward agreed better to welcome the Denali coven away from the hospital they were more used to the isolation living out in the wilderness in Alaska. Only interacting with human's when they needed or wished too. While they had much longer experience with the diet the sister's, having followed the animal diet long before Carlisle's creation he wasn't sure of their restraint around an open wound.

"I get that your head is all over the place, but you've got to shake this off. Your this volatile vampire one minute and the next this silent gargoyle watching over Bella" Rose said never one to shy away from speaking her mind even if it caused confrontation. Edward looked away from Bella finally to fix his eyes on her face smirking slightly and Rose smiled seeing it on his face.

"Silent gargoyle. It's a rather amusing idea. People of course have in recent viewed them as monsters or demons but they were always simply protectors of the churches, they were placed on. Divine protectors monstrous in nature" Edward rambled softly smiling as he sighed rolling his neck as he reached forward cupping Bella's cheek rubbing his thumb softly into the smoothness of her unharmed cheek.

"I've certainly been called worse by you" Edward said with an almost playful tone.

"I feel it. She's going to wake soon I'm sure of it and then... then I suspect will be the hardest part of all this" Edward turned to his sister as she huffed moving her hair over her shoulder and leaning forward and taking one of Bella's hands and kissing her knuckles in a moment of showing true sisterly affection. A shame that it was while Bella was so unaware, she'd always believed Rose dislike for her without looking deeper into it.

"Bella do you hear this? He's losing his marbles as my lug of a husband would say so hurry and save us all" Rose said sarcastically then placing Bella's hand back down.

"Nothing in this life has ever been easy Edward. You and I, we've always known that. We've carried this burden both of us too long. She'll love you in spite of your flaws, she'll forgive your sins, and you only have to look at Emmet and I to see that. Or Alice and Jasper. Stop dwelling find those balls that had you break the treaty and ready for a battle because if I know Bella" Rose quirked a brow looking down to the fragile human who had so affectively taken purchase of her brother's heart.

"She's going to be one hell of a challenge with what we've decided. Before her it was always Carlisle and Esme who could reel you in stop you from doing things. You've showed they don't have that same pull any longer. You've grown up, now you've got to show my sister that family sticks together even in the shit storms" Edward chuckled at what Rose had said and he found it odd that it had been her who had been able to pull him from his silence and not either Alice and Emmet.

"I see my job here is done. We'll be gone some time may even drop by the house for some clothes. Esme has decided to help out around the hospital to keep her mind busy, as you know Carlisle is working" Edward nodded understanding as he let Rosalie leave the room looking over his shoulder to call back to her.

"Rose. Be careful out there" Edward said gently as she smiled at him and then rolled her eyes and walked away as Edward turned back to Bella leaning forward to kiss his mate's cheek "See love, I told you she'd come around" Edward told her proudly.

Edward was visited by Esme only for a short period after his siblings left the hospital. She'd been helping and playing with some of the children in the hospital and thought to give Edward a break away from Bella. She'd not voiced it but her main concern had been with Edward's taste of human blood that he'd be struggling. The reality was that while his throat no doubt burned for hunger it hadn't burned for Bella. How to explain it? He'd wanted too. To explain how in a frantic and overwhelming moment when he'd accepted that he was both a man and a monster he'd felt the weight of his instinct for Bella's blood wash away. She still smelled completely too appealing even with the foreign blood in her system from the transfusion but his instincts recognised Bella completely as she was to him, his mate. His soul mate, and love. How could you both hunger to kill and yet yearn to keep it forever, he'd even theorised the need to bite Bella had been so strong from the beginning because his instincts were trying to fix the issue of her humanity. How ironic would it have been that all along Edward's instincts hadn't simply wanted to feed and drain Bella but to deliver the bite that would recreate her in immortal life so they would be equals. It was something he'd desired to speak with Carlisle about but he knew it would have to be at a later point.

So Edward had allowed Esme the chance to enjoy spending time around children. He didn't want to part with Bella when he believed her so close to awakening, and he knew that he'd be gifting Esme a gift to have more time around the little ones. She'd have made a spectacular mother, such a sadness that she'd never had the opportunity to truly have one of her own.

Edward had noticed the woman's thoughts when she'd slowly approached Bella's room, from the waiting room his family had once been situated at. He'd seen her mind the moment her intentions became all too clear, she'd asked for the room that Bella Swan was staying in hoping to find him. She'd then waged an internal war within herself. On if she could face it or not, she didn't know if she was stupid or insane but she'd decided quickly she was more likely making a mistake but couldn't stop herself from making it. She'd been warned by them all not to come to the hospital. She'd almost come to physical blows when she'd tried to lunge at Billy Black as he'd told her she couldn't take her son to the hospital to receive professional care. Tiffany Call was Embry's mother. The boy who Edward had left alive but crippled. She'd wanted from the moment Embry had first shifted to leave La Push and take her son, she'd quickly come to realise her son needed the pack to help control him.

Little had she realised what she'd deemed as control had simply just been hidden better by the people she'd trusted. Tiffany had been forced to listen to her son's wails of pain and pleading for help by the council until she'd convinced her husband. If he didn't help her get Embry to Forks Hospital, she'd go back to her own tribe the Makah and reveal all. She'd threatened and lied to get Embry in the hospital in front of a real doctor. She'd known about the incident, heard the hushed whispers seen the bodies of the two young boys that had been her son's friend. Had heard the discussion between Billy and Sam, knew Bella Swan had been harmed. That a cold one had come to the lands attacked without provocation to get to Bella's blood. Tiffany while never respected within her people like the Black's or Uley's or even the Clearwater's wasn't stupid. She'd known all about Bella Swan's relationship with a Cullen. She'd managed to get it out of her traumatized son.

That had been what had lead her to Bella Swan's hospital room where she was healing from the attack of one of the spirit warriors, where her boyfriend a cold one, would be. The same cold one, who had crippled her son. She'd wanted to look the vampire in the eyes, wanted to hurt him she wasn't sure what she wanted but she'd wanted some kind of answers. Billy Black had been allowed to confront them for Jake's death and she was damned well adamant that she'd get some too for what had been done to her son. So there she stood looking at the back of the young man who was cradling Bella's hand in his own, she saw this supposedly bloodsucking demon caring for a human who was as badly savaged as Emily was. She stood in the doorway with so much fear and anger and a knife clutched tightly in her hand as she moved closer into the room.

"I hope you aren't fool enough to believe that would work" Edward said coolly, as Tiffany stiffened while Edward had addressed the woman without even turning to face her. The distinct feeling that she'd made a fatal error in judgement twisting her stomach, she was standing in the room of one of the scariest tales of her people. A cold one was addressing her already knowing she'd intended to somehow try and hurt him with some stupid little knife like that would actually work.

"I... I... I hate you" Tiffany said even as a tear slipped down her cheek she'd always been a crier when she got this angry, she hated this boy, man, thing. She wasn't sure what he really was but he was the reason her son was looking at a life forced into a wheelchair. The reason he'd not stopped crying out during the night in pain and fear begging for forgiveness from this monster.

"I would not hold that hate against you Tiffany, but if I'm to be frank with you. Which I do believe you truly do wish, I couldn't care less what you feel about me" Edward said nonchalantly as he simply continued to caress Bella's knuckles with the tips of his fingers not even paying her attention enough to face her as he spoke, Tiffany found it only made her angrier.

"My son is in this hospital. His life forever changed because of you. He'll struggle for the rest of his life now because of you, he'll be haunted by everything that happened and he didn't even maim the girl, that was Jake" Tiffany spat angrily reaching up to wipe the tears off her cheek the knife now held almost limply in her hand.

She didn't seem him coming at her, one moment he'd been sitting in the chair his only movement his hand running over Bella's and the next she was pressed against a wall her throat held in what felt like an icy vice that only restricted the more she tried to scream or breath against the hold. She could barely register what could happen as she looked into the eyes of the cold one, they were a strange off brown colour that didn't seem right. She'd not expected for the young man too be so handsome she'd always expected them to be hideous monsters, she'd have been stunned by him had he simply been a stranger but he wasn't.

"She is not maimed" Edward snarled lowly growling in tone at the woman, his Bella wasn't maimed and he didn't care for the woman's reasoning behind trying to find her son's innocence in all this. Bella was his and her son had placed her at risk by simply getting in his way.

"I'm sorry" Tiffany wheezed out struggling against Edward's grip as he realised what he was doing and released her and stepped back away from the woman.

"I'd apologise but I've come to find your people bring out the worst in me" Edward turned his back on the woman his fists clenched but he could hear that she agreed that it worked the same way, the Cullen's bringing out the worst in the Quileute people.

"I just...I wanted" Tiffany didn't know what she wanted from this vampire, it all seemed so wrong now and foolish she was a grown woman and acting so stupidly. Knew the danger she was putting herself in, knowing her husband was sick with fever like some of the other men in the tribe it seemed a bug was going around again and she was the only one to care for Embry.

"Consider this a gift Tiffany Call. Your son Embry while crippled is no longer bound to his pack, he shall never shift again. He is free from the war that is coming" Edward said as he watched her mind the thoughts that centred around her husband Chris who was fever sick like some of the other men. He'd seen this before, suddenly the urgent need to contact his family.

"You want to save your son. Then leave Tiffany as you've wanted too from the first shift, take your son and run and make sure our path's never cross again. You want to keep your boy alive run and run quickly" Edward hissed at the woman the intimidation becoming all too much for the already shaken Tiffany Call, as she dropped the knife and ran from the room sobbing into her hand's. She was scared for her life and her son's. Edward was scared too though because he saw something she'd not put together in her human processing, the fever had struck the older men, the adult males of the tribe.

" _God they're making the transformation..."_

Edward reached into his pocket dialling Alice and calling, pacing the foot of Bella's bed as he tried to get hold of his sister who would be blind to this new threat. When he received no answer Edward tried each and every member of his family finding that none of them had answered. Jasper, Emmet, Alice and Rosalie all unreachable. They'd gone to meet with the Denali and he knew that without a real reason they wouldn't be out of reach not with things as they were. As Edward paced trying to reach his siblings Charlie entered into Bella's room seeing Edward in the same clothes as the night before ruffled and crumpled from most likely sleeping in the hospital chair beside Bella all night. He could see straight away that Edward looked distressed until they fixed eyes on each other.

"Hey, Charlie. I really hate to rush out but... I have to speak with Carlisle it's urgent. I hate leaving Bella..." Edward turned to look at Bella and he lingered there his resolve to find his family weakening even then and Charlie could see that Edward was about to change his mind.

"Don't you worry about anything Edward go find Carlisle and I'll watch over Bells for now. You've been really great to our girl...She's. yeah she's really lucky to have you" Charlie struggled to get the words out at the last part of the sentence but he saw that it was true. Edward and his family really were a god send, Charlie could see that and they loved Bella a hell of a lot and he couldn't have any problem with that.

"Thank you Charlie" Edward placing his hand on Charlie's shoulder as he exited the room not looking back at Bella knowing that to look back, would be his own resolve broken and he'd end up staying in place.

Edward moved as quickly as he could at a human pace without being noticed by those around him following the scent of Carlisle through the hospital. Edward waited once he found Carlisle with a patient not wanting to create a scene, but he saw when Carlisle took note of his scent close by and then removed himself from the patient quickly.

"Edward is it Bella?" Carlisle asked concerned as Edward reached to his father gripping his forearm and pulling him away from the area they had been to ensure no human ears were listen in on the conversation.

"Tiffany Call she visited me while I was with Bella" Carlisle instantly feared that Edward had harmed the woman because she'd lost her temper at what had happened to Embry her son. Edward almost growled at Carlisle lack of belief in him, he'd not had reason to kill the human woman even if her spawn was or had been an issue.

"She revealed something in her mind. Some of the men within the tribe have started to succumb to a fever" Edward explained quickly trying to portray the seriousness of what he believed was happening or had happened already within the tribe.

"That doesn't sound too serious... not unless. No. You can't possibly mean?" Carlisle's eyes widened as he looked at his son then, finally understanding what Edward was trying to tell him

"How many have taken the fever Edward?" Carlisle asked seeing how dramatically this could change the entire situation, the number of wolves was what made them powerful, what made them dangerous.

"I don't know. I've tried to contact the others, they were going to meet with the Denali's but I received no reply. I hate to do this but I need you and Esme to watch over Bella and Charlie" Edward said he didn't want to leave but he really had no choice, with the chance the pack's size was growing and his siblings out there none the wiser to the growing threat the pack could becoming, he couldn't just leave them out there. He also couldn't leave Bella without protection as he looked to Carlisle the urgency clear even in his creator's eyes.

"Of course Esme and I will protect Bella son. Please though Edward do not go to La Push land's find our family and the Denali and return here" Carlisle begged of his son knowing that he may just rush to the tribe and take the fight to them now to prevent them from regrouping with larger numbers and mature wolves.

"Do what must be done Carlisle. As my mother asked of you, should it come. Do what no other can to save my Bella, Carlisle while I am unable to, you can't hesitate, please" Edward said gripping his father's shoulders firmly looking deeply into his soul as he spoke even then as Edward spoke Edward could see the memory of his human mother so weak and beautiful even as a human dying and pleading not for herself but for her son who lay dying beside her. Edward was giving Carlisle complete permission that should things go wrong that Bella's health were to take a turn for the worst to change her. Edward was giving Carlisle complete approval to change Bella.

"Of course. I'll protect her with my life" Carlisle said moving his hand's to squeeze Edward's forearms a moment passing between them before they stepped away from them and Edward span and moved towards the exit of the hospital Carlisle watching his son as he left. Edward only waited until he was far away enough from the hospital car park before he moved into a sprint bursting through the foliage that tried to block his path and as he began to run he opened his mind to the world that he tried so hard to shut out. He opened up his ability completely and listened as the thoughts of thousands of people filtered into his mind, he moved through the fog of mortal thoughts edging closer and closer almost tracking the minds he searched for. It was then he found them, found his family and the Denali and realised quickly that he'd been right in his fear, the pack had grown they'd took advantage.

One had fallen.

War was now.

Edward ran towards purple smoke rising up towards the sky...


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N Hey everyone, I guess this is an added bonus chapter to all my great readers who have been making writing this story even more enjoyable with the amount of support you've shown. Seeing the comments you've left and even those who have added this to their alerts and favourites has inspired me to write even more recently. I'm well into the writing of the story around chapter fifteen but I've taken a pause today to edit this and finished it faster than I thought. So I decided instead of making you wait until next week to just give you another chapter. I can't promise I'll update this frequently always because of the size of my chapters and editing on my own. Hope you enjoy this bonus chapter for this week anyway. Once again thank you all for reading and let me know what you guys think.**

 **Also an added warning. Violence. For those of you who are squeamish this one might be a little harder for you to read.**

 **RED DAWN**

 **SUMMARY:** Edward had always warned Bella that the pack were dangerous. Hostile, volatile and aggressive in nature. She ignored him, testing even Edward's own vampire instinct by staying friends with his enemy, Jacob. One event will change them all, Bella never truly understood the supernatural world. Didn't understand the aggression that lay dormant even in her controlled mate until it was too late. Warning: Violence and Character death.

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the Characters.**

* * *

 **Chapter Five**

The Denali coven had been completely blindsided.

Not even the millennia of years they had between them all, the sisters Irina, Kate and Tanya. The original legend behind the succubus myth some of the oldest vampires alive, hadn't been ready. They'd just broken through Canada when it had been Carmen. Eleazer's mate that had sensed something following them, at first they'd continued towards their location not expecting the dogs to have come so far from their own lands. They hadn't seen the cleverly laid plan that had been used within the pack to close ranks around the offending immortals and pulling them into a location they'd prepared for them.

The natural aversion and the horrid scent were completely new to the Denali coven and so had not recognised it for what it was. They'd continued running a few miles into the forests that would lead them to the location they had agreed upon meeting Alice, when it had become clear something had gone drastically wrong. The Denali coven had come to find themselves completely submerged and flanked by wolves at all angles. They were surrounded; they had been herded like cattle to a slaughter. Eleazer had been quick and thrown Carmen up into the trees to get his mate away from the threat as he'd crouched to defend. Irina still bitter over the death of her companion at the hands of these primitive tribe people had been eager to spill the blood of her friend's enemy. Tanya had seen the numbers and wanted to run, she hadn't survived for a thousand years to die to shifters because they had so many bodies. Kate had been firm and ready confident even with the odds so harshly against them, they had survived worse odds. They had walked away from a confrontation with the Volturi and an immortal child, puppies were no threat to her.

The wolves had moved in, so large in size and different varieties of colouring. The Denali's had known from the phone call with Alice that they had predicted the wolves had at least ten within their pack. This was more than ten, the size and numbers didn't match. It felt like there was at least twenty or more of these salivating monsters. Eleazer the most trained within the group struck first using the trees around him as he leapt pushing his feet off the tree and driving himself into a large russet wolf. The tree collapsed and fell to the ground with a heavy thud against the forest floor and with that moment the battle had began. Kate was pinned by three wolves in a matter of seconds but thankfully to her gift just as one had gone to rip her limbs from her body she'd electrocuted the dogs. They'd wailed whimpers under the shock that had sent them back away from ending Kate and tearing her apart, it gave her time but not enough.

Carmen could only watch from above as her family fought, she'd never been a capable fighter and never felt the need to learn with her mate to protect her. It was an old fashioned view that showed their age, she only begged that it was not going to cost them all now as they were so largely outnumbered. Tanya was doing her best to hold off the two wolves that had her but she'd suffered an error early on in her fight and a wolf had punished her for it as she stood with her arm completely removed at her left shoulder. She could only see the wolf throwing her arm to the side from its mouth and spotted in the corner of her eyes a boy. No, more than one child taking the limb towards a burning flame.

"Not my fucking arm" Tanya growled but was fortunate as Carmen saw what was happening and risked her own life as she leapt down to the forest floor and intercepted the arm.

"Run Carmen. Get the Cullen's" Eleazer yelled frantically still trying his best to fend off the attack's he was weakening with each snap and slash against his wounded body. He could only hope for his mate to get away and at best to get hold of the Cullen's, they knew enough that the mutt's blocked Alice's visions she wouldn't see that they needed her now.

Carmen ran then bursting forward only the young boys who hadn't shifted by command, to help burn the pieces they were given, they didn't make chase after her but one large wolf did. Eleazer feeling the need to pursue them both but he couldn't now. They weren't winning this fight with so many wolves, the pack were in their element and they were showing how truly effective their numbers could be now.

"Irina!" Kate screamed out in a cry of pure agonized torment.

Then her own screams stopped as the jaw snapped around Kate's head and yanked the head from her shoulder's, Tanya was wild with her own grief seeing how badly they were falling to these monsters. The boys had the head of Irina she'd been dismembered in her fight which had only freed up more wolves to close in on those who remained. The boy had held Irina's head for only a second before dumping it into the fire. There was no saving her now, as her beautiful blonde hair burned up and then her entire face ignited in the flames.

"We need to get Kate's remains. We can put her back together" Eleazer said urgently and then he grabbed Tanya and lifted her and threw her over the wolves' bodies placing him alone and defenceless against the attack. As a wolf closed its canines around his extended arm snapping ruthlessly through it severing his hand at the middle of his forearm, he could not even hope to stop in his pain however. His only option was to keep fighting, to never surrender to these mongrels.

Tanya even with one arm was a fighter, she'd survived near destruction before and she wouldn't see her end and both of her sisters ends at the hands of these pre pubescent little boys. She flipped forward as Eleazer threw her landing onto the back of the wolf carrying Kate's body. Dragging her fingers down its back and squeezing with her legs on either side of its body to crush it under her strength. Tanya grabbed the body of Kate from its mouth, and could see Kate's head. Lifeless eyes wide and face sagged on the ground. With only one hand she couldn't pick it up and thought quickly as she ran towards it and kicked it hard in the direction of where Carmen had ran. It flew over head of them sailing roughly through the trees and eventually landed a large distance away from them all where she'd be able to retrieve it. If Tanya somehow managed to survive this onslaught from the wolves.

Eleazer even with part of his arm gone had continued to battle on, he'd thought he was finished when a wolf had snap it's jaws around his torso. The savage jaws of the mutt hadn't made Eleazer's body crumble, it seemed his body was a harder task to rip apart with the wolves canines. He'd snapped the neck of the wolf holding him off his feet in his mouth and then leapt to Tanya's side. Delivering a well placed kick to the front leg of the wolf advancing on her as it had crumpled under its own weight, crippled for only a time. These beasts healed far too quickly to less fatal attacks.

"Go" Eleazer had ordered pointing to the gap in the wolves' formation with his stump of an arm. Tanya hadn't waited she'd blurred through with Eleazer hot on her tails as they tried to put distance between themselves and the pack. Both severely weak and injured their bodies roared from the oozing pain of open wounds, Kate completely lifeless until she could be reattached.

"Grab her head Eleazer" Tanya called to him as he'd swooped up Kate's head from the ground and then, they ran towards the scents that were closing in on both sides. The Cullen family had heard their cry for help and finally coming towards them and the pack making chase close behind the running allies, the Denali.

Carmen had come to find the Cullen family waiting only a small distance away from where they had agreed. They'd already been coming in her direction when Jasper's refined hearing had picked up on something. That had been how Carmen had come across them running blindly, scared and carrying Tanya's severed arm in her hands. Clutching it tightly enough to crack the marble like skin in it's much more fragile state. She'd barely broken towards them when the wolf that had given chase after her came through too. He'd barely had a chance to realise his error and mistake, he was the one now outnumbered before Jasper and Emmet had moved into attack.

Emmet had run straight at the wolf, the two bodies had come together with a deafening impact and crunch as the wolf's body broke and snapped. Emmet had wrapped his arms around the head of the wolf effectively keeping the muzzle forcefully held shut. Squeezing tight enough to drive its own teeth into the top and bottom parts of its mouth. Jasper had moved around the back of the mutt, one he'd never before seen. Larger and different in colour then those he'd seen as part of the pack in the past. He wrapped his arms around the lower half of the dog's body and for a moment Emmet and Jasper had darkly grinned while locking eyes. Both of them had then twisted and pulled. The wolf had made a strange strangling sound and then the ripping sound of flesh being pulled, as Emmet and Jasper stepped away from each other. The stomach churning wet popping sound as the wolf's body became two separate parts.

The wolf ripped into two, blood and organ matter dropping to the ground soiling it as then the body had shifted to a human again. The only part still connecting the once body was its intestines. Emmet had laughed as it had finally fallen away from both halves of the body. Emmet was holding the top half and Jasper the bottom dropping it in disgust.

"Filthy fucking animals" Jasper literally spat venom at the naked half he'd dropped at his feet.

"I don't know my half" Emmet said gripping the back of the man's neck as he held it up on display, more blood leaking from the served bottom half of his torso.

"He's certainly one of the tribe though, but he's an adult not one of Sam's pack. You think they've called in reinforcements?" Emmet asked when Carmen finally pulled at Alice tugging at her still hysterical.

"We must go. Now... Eleazer. The girls need our help. So many of them. At least twenty" Jasper and Emmet's eyes widened as they finally turned to Carmen then, Jasper reached down to pick up the shifter's legs around the ankle.

"Show us the way Carmen, quickly. Let's reintroduce this member to his people" Jasper said as Rose and Alice flanked Carmen following the direction she had come from.

Emmet and Jasper lagging slightly back so they were ready for anything that directed an attack towards their mate's from any direction. They all saw the purple smoke rising into the sky and then they ran faster. Someone was dead. One of the Denali had fallen.

Edward burst towards both approaching forces.

Both coming from different directions, the collision promised to be devastating and chaotic with the promise of more death. Edward could see his own family running straight towards the chasing pack through his mind. Tanya and Eleazer wounded and carrying what remained of Kate would be caught in the middle of the brutal confrontation if he didn't manage to do something. Irina was already gone. The wolves with their older shifters now in the pack had been even more of a threat.

The adults of the pack were quick to follow orders, matured they resembled more of what Ephraim had been able to actually do with his own men. These men had been able to mature before becoming shifters. Sam had created a masterpiece of a plan to trap the Denali coven and with the aid of men in his pack now he found he was better able to organise them. Sam had known Carlisle had looked to ask the Denali for help against the newborn army. Sam knew that with war coming between the wolves and the Cullen family, they would likely contact their close allies. He'd predicted it masterfully and had completely caught them off guard. They had drawn, herded them into the area and then attacked. They'd even used the barely teen boys in the plan as to burn the pieces once removed, while not helpful to them in wolf form had been a cleanup crew for the mature wolves.

"I'll make you pay Sam" Edward snarled then smirking as he locked onto his target amongst Sam's pack, Sam had shown he could be a truly brilliant strategist when allowed, now it was time for Edward to attack Sam closer to his emotions.

For all the insulted cruel retorts, questioning vampires being anything but monsters. Edward would attack the wolf's humanity. Edward was to turn this war far more personal than it had been. But hadn't war always been personal, his love was laying wounded it was time to attack someone the pack loved. Edward targeted that darker side of his nature using his mind reading and knowledge already gained to most effectively break the packs will, he didn't want to kill them yet. He'd kill their souls though, break their hearts to protect his family. War bred evil and Edward was prepared to cross all lines to make sure he won. He had always wanted to be a soldier, now he was.

Edward moved directly towards them. Coming right down the middle of where the two forces would meet, he ripped through the ground with blinding speed. His feet leaving not even an imprint, he all but flew across the forest flooring. Edward jumped his powerful legs sending him up into the trees, as he then leapt quickly from tree branch to each tree. Moving now in the same way he'd seen Victoria do, while she had been evading the wolves on the reservation. Memories he'd seen from the pack mind, old knowledge becoming useful now. Edward could see the moment that Sam's wolves could see his own family, Eleazer and Tanya almost with the rest of them carrying Kate. Jasper was the only one to see Edward up in the sky his face twisted in darkness and smug, cunning seeped strong enough that even from distance Jasper could feel it.

As the wolves moved underneath Edward his family watched as he leapt down catching the wolves off guard as he landed on the back of the slick grey wolf. The true rarity in the wolf pack. The only female wolf. Leah Clearwater. The woman Sam still loved even though he was married to Emily, Leah's cousin. Edward then sank his teeth into the side of Leah's throat and sliced his thumb nail along her wolf throat the pack hadn't noticed until they'd already passed Edward and Leah. The shared mind blinding them all with the acid burning in their minds as it scorched inside of Leah. The venom moved like an acid being poured through every vein in Leah's body, the venom even preventing the wound on her sliced neck from closing as her body warred in itself against the toxic venom.

When the wolves finally turned back to look behind them, to face where Edward was the image that filled their mind was of Edward holding Leah's naked human body. His teeth at her throat as the thick cut along her slender neck thickly coated blood down her body and she screamed, a deafening wail of complete agonized torment gargling on her own blood. The sight of Edward's blood red eyes looking up at them from this young beautiful woman of their people, appearing as the demon of all their nightmares when they'd first learnt of the cold ones. Edward looked satanic, demonic as he held Leah in place her blood trickling down rapidly covering her once bronze skin. They knew then there was nothing this man would not do, Edward finally knew there was no end to his own cruelty to protect what he loved. Even if that meant taking what other's loved from them to force his power upon them.

"You fucking dogs taste disgusting" Edward hissed and then dumped Leah to the ground beside him. The grief hit him from their thoughts even Jasper struggled around it, the grief as two members felt it even deeper than the rest. Sam the man who had loved and broken Leah's heart and Seth, Leah's little brother who had already lost a father and now was faced with the loss of his sister.

Edward was ready for it when it came, Sam lunging first. Edward had leapt quickly up into the tree's above him, the pack were still struggling just as Embry had before with the sharing in the venom. It was only due to one wolf, an adult. Sam's father Joshua Uley. He'd somehow taken hold of them in that pain, even while he suffered through it and he was making them run. Joshua forcefully slamming into his own son Sam and snapping at him, they were running away. Retreating. Edward leapt back down to the ground turning to watch the pack running all while Sam in his wolf form watched Edward. Joshua and some of the men tried to move him on so he wouldn't go back to fight Edward. Joshua Uley knew his son could no longer lead his men effectively while so grief stricken.

" _You will die leech. I swear it, you and that fucking human. You'll get yours, you parasite shit_ " Sam's thoughts raged on even louder as the distance was furthered.

He'd hoped for this result while he'd have been more than happy for them to fight he'd hoped to hit them emotionally; he'd attacked their hearts to give his own family time to fix the wounded. Used that all too fatal method of venom to blind the mind. Edward knew it wouldn't be the only solution soon enough, they'd start to see their need for getting used to the shared link. They would adapt it wouldn't be easy. The adults added to the packs numbers were going to make them an even more deadly foe. Edward knew though now, his need to protect Bella would need to be even more heightened he'd opened up a door for at least Sam to want to take Bella from him for what he'd done to Leah.

"I look forward to ending you Sam Uley. You were the first to shift, you'll be the last I kill" Edward vowed darkly as his family finally moved to him and he finally turned to look at them. Some of them broken, the Denali had taken a harsh loss today. They'd been made to feel vulnerable and weak and now they'd lost a sister too. He couldn't help but feel somewhat responsible even if they hadn't thought on that yet.

"Always one for dramatics Edward" Rosalie said as she moved past Emmet who was still holding the top half of one of the pack members, he flung it then beside Leah's dead body shrugging his broad shoulders.

"I took a little note out of Jasper's strategy. While I can't influence emotions I can certainly bring about certain emotions with my actions" Edward said moving to the Denali who were huddled together, Tanya was sobbing dryly into her one hand trying to cover her face as best she could, while Carmen rubbed her shoulder.

"You broke his heart" Jasper said somewhat impressed while it hadn't been a secret the history shared between Sam and Leah and the complications that had been created in his shifting and imprinting on Emily he'd not thought to use that not the way Edward had.

"He took Irina from us. I plan to take much more form him before this ends" Edward said finally moving to Tanya and wrapping his arms around his friend.

There had been a time when she'd pursued him relentlessly, when he'd been the only single member of his family and his loneliness had been apparent to all. It had been Tanya though who had challenged him as he'd hidden away in the wilderness around the Denali's home thinking of a human girl. Whose blood haunted him and eyes made him yearn in a way he'd never felt before. So as she suffered pain that had come from the events of Edward's choice making he tried his best to comfort Tanya for the loss of her sister.

"She's gone. Burned her. Just like Sasha they'd have taken Kate too" Tanya cried while Carmen and Eleazer stood close by holding each other, Edward leant back his hand rested on Tanya's still intact shoulder.

"I can't tell you I understand your pain. Jasper will help you deal with your grief if you wish it but I need you now Tanya. You have centuries of experience in this world and I'm going to need your help avenge our families against these beasts. They've wounded my mate. Killed your sister, we'll rid this world of them now. Channel it, the pain let it turn to rage and then we'll take them, we'll make them all pay" Edward growled lowly then taking a step back and extending his arm towards Carmen who was holding Tanya's arm.

Carmen quickly handing the twitching limb to him as Edward took it and pushed the shoulder of Tanya's shirt up over the cracked weeping shoulder joint where her arm had been torn off.

"I'll deal with Kate" Jasper said kneeling down over Kate's head that had been completely torn from her body with Rose and Alice.

"I'm more used to dealing with these types of fatal wounds" Jasper thought of how many in his existence he'd been expected to help piece together with head's removed and limbs. Kate would be in agony while she recovered. Reattaching any pieces removed was pure agony to vampire's it was only second to the actual change itself as the venom fused the parts back together again.

"Eleazer where is your hand we can reattach it now?" Carmen asked as she held her mate's arm jagged and awkward looking in shape as it leaked the silvery liquid of his venom.

"Mi amor..." Eleazer hesitated. Concerned about revealing that he'd lost it amongst the fighting and hadn't had the time to try and capture his removed limb, before he'd had to run with Tanya. Kate had been too close to destruction and with both he and Tanya only having an arm each of good use they couldn't wait.

"During the fight I couldn't get it back. Tanya and I needed to get Kate away especially after Irina" Eleazer said sadly his thoughts lingering on the image of his home before, of them all together unharmed and happy. He'd believed his days of fighting were over when he'd been allowed to leave the Volturi.

"What will you do?" Carmen asked worried as she eyed the wound still leaking badly.

"It will heal, it's going to take time. I'll have to turn it into a stump of some kind smooth it out it'll be hard to do myself but..." Emmet stepped up to Eleazer then everyone else was preparing to help the other's he'd be happy to help Eleazer so he didn't feel useless.

"I'm no Carlisle or Jasper but tell me what you need and I'll handle it" Emmet grinned as Carmen reached up cupping Emmet's cheek in thanks, she'd always been a very motherly affectionate woman very much like Esme in that respect.

"It seems we are at war and I am crippled. I saw a vampire once in my early life he'd had a hand removed he'd turned the rest of his arm into a sharpened point" Eleazer mused then looking at the jagged stump of a forearm.

"It will be a painful but if you could Emmet. I would appreciate it if you would shape my stump to a point, they may have crippled me but I will not be made unarmed" Emmet looked at Eleazer then shocked and somewhat in awe of what Eleazer was suggesting. It almost made Emmet jealous in wanting the same thing but then he thought about it and pushed the errant thought away. Rose would never let him turn his arm into a weapon.

"Oh Eleazer... I am so on it" Emmet grinned then as he used his large hands and began to apply pressure and carved his thumbs into Eleazer's wound to shape it. Eleazer screamed out then as Carmen did her best to comfort her husband.

"All the years of waiting to feel that tongue on me and now this is how my dream comes true" Tanya huffed out trying to tease Edward to place her mind away from the pain in her chest. She didn't like dealing with grief, even more so around other's who could witness her pain. She wanted to be strong, that was how she was meant to be.

There was only one way to reattach a broken part of a vampire. The venom in their bodies, but when so badly wounded it often took the venom of another vampire to help along the healing factor in the venom. So Tanya watched as Edward went about dripping saliva, his own venom over the joint of her arm and then ran his tongue over the wound and forcefully pressed her limb back against the shoulder joint. Using his one hand to hold the arm in place Edward then licked his finger and ran the venom over the wound to try and seal it shut. While it was certainly known for only mate's to heal each other in certain times like these, it would be needed for whoever could to help.

It was certainly a peculiar sight as Edward had been licking along the wounded arm; at the same time Jasper had been using his own venom to cover Kate's neck while Alice and Rose saw to her body. It was times like these that made Edward all too clear how vastly different vampires and humans were; part of him however wished all it took was his venom to heal Bella. While still fragile she'd need time to heal, had she been immortal he'd have been able to use his tongue to seal those wounds in moments. It would have scarred permanently, however as all these wounds inflicted would be. The only downside to using other's venom to heal was that it always scared, it was the reason Jasper had so many bite marks on his skin from fighting in the south.

"This tongue remains firmly within the claim of my mate" Edward said firmly while knowing she was only trying to joke.

"Believe me. We are all more than aware of that Edward. I'm sorry we refused to aid you when you first asked... Irina she" Tanya struggled to say it. Explain Irina had rather thrown away the alliance between Cullen and Denali for a lover she'd only spent a few weeks in bed with.

"You don't have to explain. We'd hoped for coexistence between our species. Had I known then what I know now I'd have delivered the head of each of them too you and Irina to keep our friendship intact" Edward said as the Denali were beginning to see the darker edges to the change that had slowly been taking over since the fateful day of Bella coming to harm at the pack's hand.

"Oh shit" Tanya hissed closing her eyes tightly and then Edward removed his hand from her arm seeing that the numbness was gone and in its place the pain as the arm began to refuse back together.

"It should only take a few hours before you are back to normal. Kate's may take a day from what I can see from Jasper's experience with dealing with beheadings and reconnecting" Edward told Tanya, he didn't want to run out on them but he'd need to return to Carlisle and Esme inform them what had happened and then finally be back at his Bella's side.

"We're finished with Kate for now" Alice said moving to stand beside Edward.

"My visions are all over the place right now when I even see anything. I can't know when she wakes everything is either blurred or black. We are too connected with the pack now" Alice said frustrated, she hated how blind the mutt's made her.

If she had been able to see, so much could have been prevented she felt much guilt for that especially now as the Denali lay wounded and healing and one of them gone forever. Irina had been a friend to the family for decades it was a deep regret for Alice that she'd not seen anything to protect them.

"Now this is something" Jasper said loudly enough to draw both Edward's and Alice's attention towards Jasper and Emmet both looking at Eleazer as he held his wounded forearm up.

"I've impressed myself but it was all Eleazer's idea" Emmet nodded looking over to Edward smiling widely as Edward looked at the arm more closely moving towards Eleazer. He was impressed. He'd never for a second ever considered such a thing even possible.

Eleazer had talked Emmet through the process even in his agony of having parts of his wounded forearm all but carved away. He'd had Emmet carve what remained of his forearm into an almost large blade. It was still very much the width of what his forearm had been before, but with Emmet's strength he'd smoothed it out thinning it and sharpening the edge just enough. What should have been a crippling wound had been changed into something of a weapon. Carmen was doing her best to still coat it in her venom as Emmet showed his work, she wasn't using her tongue in case the edge was too sharp and harmful. While it would never be as capable as a hand it would certainly be something of an anomaly.

Edward could see through Eleazer's thoughts that he'd seen in his early life into his second life an ancient vampire who had lost most of his arm. He'd changed the top half into a spike that he'd used to help defend himself in those darker days. While it was affective in ways against vampires as Edward could see from the memories it took a great amount of skill and effort on the vampire's side who wielded it to harm other vampire's with it. After all the skin of vampires were the same and as strong as each others. Eleazer had no plans of using it against vampire's though in his mind he'd had it created for a more vulnerable supernatural. Edward shook his head in amusement at just what an intelligent man Eleazer was.

"Yes an ancient long since passed from this world Roderick. He'd lost almost his entire arm but he'd been a warrior in his human life and refused to accept being unable to fight. He'd been rather impressive with it. Unfortunately while impressive it was eventually the cause of his end. Took him far too many hits of the thing against a vampire's neck before beheading and he'd been caught" Eleazer said with a hint of sadness thinking of the warrior Roderick with his spiked tipped arm and his final battle where a vampire had managed to end him due to the weakened spike from continuous hitting against vampire skin.

"Well while I'm not common to this type of fighting amongst vampire's I can certainly train you in sword fighting. It needs some slight deviations for it actually being an arm but I'm sure I can work something out to teach you" Jasper offered his mind already thinking back to the few human memories he had of being a civil war solider. He'd always enjoyed sword fighting as a human and had been gifted with a blade he'd not had need for it since his transformation the prospect of this however excited him.

"It's something I'd certainly entertain the idea of Jasper, thank you" Eleazer bowed his head slightly as Emmet slapped Jasper on the back chuckling.

"Want me to do your arm too?" Emmet offered jokingly as Jasper pushed him slightly away from him shaking his head and rolling his eyes at Emmet.

"You are going to need to somehow keep it hidden amongst the humans. Conceal it as to not draw attention" Carmen told her mate seriously, while she was clearly not a fan of what had been done to her mate she was pleased enough that he didn't feel weak with this done for him.

"I'm thinking a prosthetic limb actually. I can get my hands on one and hollow out the inside so Eleazer can just slip it in place for when he doesn't have need for it. I might be able to get one from the hospital, I'll ask once we go back to Carlisle he'll know where I can find something" Emmet said he'd already thought of that when he'd been helping carve and shape the arm that Eleazer would need some type of way to keep it hidden from human eyes.

"That would certainly work" Eleazer mussed nodding his head then.

"I guess I'll have to get used to writing with my left hand from now on. I doubt it'll take me much time to shift between" Edward agreed it wouldn't take Eleazer long to shift to his less used hand with things like that. One of the advantages of being a vampire with the advanced mind and body, abilities with learning new skills came fast and were remembered without much practice.

Tanya was with her sister Kate, holding her head on her lap as she slowly ran her fingers through her long blonde hair, comforted by the closeness of her long time companion. She felt selfish in her relief that she'd not need to tell Kate that Irina had been killed she'd seen that just before she'd had her head removed. She'd been distracted and hadn't been able to hold onto her ability. All the practice that Kate had put in to being able to cover her entire body with the electrical shocking touch and it hadn't helped when she'd been distracted. Kate would be angry about that. She'd be even angrier that they'd been attacked and that Irina had been destroyed. Tanya didn't envy those with mates at that moment it was hard enough caring for those in her family the idea of worrying about a mate who would be harmed. She couldn't understand how Edward could even bare it as his mate was weaker than any other vampire's mate as she remained human. She'd always found him attractive and of course his rejection of her had made it into a challenge that she'd pursued with a dogged determination. She'd stopped the moment he'd come to Alaska after meeting Bella. She'd seen that glimmer of hope in his beautiful eyes and had known she'd lost the battle for his heart. She'd never stood a chance in all reality. She'd looked forward for a long time to meeting the woman who had captured the century old virgin's heart, finally broken through his walls it seemed somewhat poetic that of course the forever burdened Edward Cullen would fall in love with a human.

She would be a liar to say in the moment he'd appeared like a dark force of nature from the trees to attack the wolves that she'd not found him attractive. Frozen in the moment before he truly became an adult man he had features of both youth and maturity, he was certainly one of the most beautiful of their kind she'd ever seen. She was happy for him though, so very pleased that he'd found his other half. She only hoped now that he wouldn't lose everything, she hoped that none of her family had to carry that heartbreak of losing a mate.

It was clear that the Denali's wouldn't be able to come to the hospital, while the rest of the Cullen family wanted to return it just wouldn't be possible. They couldn't leave Carlisle, Esme and even Bella in such a dangerous position without other's there to help protect them. The Denali's however were wounded and still healing, Carmen was in the best shape of them all but wasn't in any means a fighter who could defend them. Eleazer still had wounds covering his body that would need some sort of attention soon enough so he wasn't drained of his own venom and become unresponsive. Kate would be out of it and in pain for at least a day. So they came to a decision that Rose and Emmet would accompany Edward back to the hospital, while Jasper and Alice returned home with the rest of the Denali coven. Edward would have returned to the hospital alone believing the pack wouldn't attack in such a public place but after how well thought out the plan had been to herd and destroy the Denali's. He wouldn't put it past Sam to create a way to harm Bella while she was in hospital if they weren't there to watch over her. Edward knew Sam would kill Bella to hurt him now. Leah while his ex had been the love of his life, if he'd been capable of choice he'd have chosen Leah the council had made that impossible. Essentially Edward knew Sam would only consider them even if Edward were to lose Bella, now suddenly Edward found himself with two beings planning to end his mates' life for ending their own loved one life.

Edward, Emmet and Rosalie had gone to the area where Irina had been killed to smother the fire that had been left burning, they could still smell the strong scent's of so many wolves. The wolves had left a man for dead on the ground a distance away from the fire; he'd clearly been killed during the skirmish with the Denali's, his neck oddly twisted at a horrible angle. They didn't touch the body leaving it where it was like they had with Leah's body and the other man who had chased Carmen. It wasn't there job to explain the deaths of Quileute people. Edward could only believe that eventually the wolves would return for the bodies of the dead or perhaps they'd fallen so far from the noble once protectors they had been and just leave the bodies to nature until some scavenger animal found the remains and ate them. As long as no human's found them Edward wasn't concerned. They had all considered collecting the ashes of what remained of Irina but had thought against it in the end, Tanya and her family didn't need reminding of what they'd lost and Rose didn't think it would help them in any way with mourning having the remains. They'd want to move on. All they wanted to remember of Irina would no doubt be in their home back in Alaska.

"I hope Carlisle has some spare scrubs" Emmet pulled at his shirt that had some splatter of blood on the edge of his shirt from where he'd killed and had to carry the body of his and Jasper's kill.

"I'm sure we'll be able to find something in the hospital" Rose said to Emmet as she took his hand and the three of them began to run towards the hospital leaving behind the scene of already so many deaths.

"Just don't let Charlie or anyone see you until you've changed shirts" Edward had warned they hadn't done all they could to keep things undercover of human's to be exposed by a human cop with a bloody shirt.

"Sorry not all of us are expert killers and don't get messy" Emmet had said it to mean a joke but even Rose had hissed at what her mate had said smacking him firmly upside his head as Emmet groaned under her slap.

"Stupid" Rose said shaking her head and letting go of her mates hand as they continued running.

"Ah... come on guys I didn't mean it in a bad way" Emmet complained and in all honesty it didn't bother Edward what he'd said.

Edward had never disputed that he was a killer. He'd carried that shame all his life even felt guilty for killing the human criminals. He had in the time of feeding on the dregs of society to feed his lust for human blood and justice. Edward knew he was a killer. Edward had always longed to be a soldier and while he'd never seen the side that meant he'd need to kill people as a human, he'd always understood you did what you had to for your country and people. This didn't feel all that different. Killing to protect your family and loved ones was different to killing for your own hunger. In his mind at least that was how he viewed it. It came down to killing for self or killing for love. That was how he viewed these coming wars with an untamed irrational wolf pack and a vengeful newborn army following a psychotic vampire who hungered for revenge.

"Don't worry Emmet I'm by no means offended" Edward had told Emmet removing his concern that he'd upset Edward as they shared a smile and head nod. Edward didn't tell Emmet that while he held nothing against him Rose would hold out on her little grudge for Edward a little longer but as he reached to take her hand once again and she pulled away and ran ahead more Edward couldn't help put chuckle at the pouted look on his brother's face.

When they finally arrived at the hospital Emmet and Rose moved to Carlisle's office to search for some type of clothing or scrubs to give to Emmet so he could destroy his bloody shirt. Edward took towards Bella's room alone, he'd not wanted to leave her not when he knew and expected her to wake today. He'd been gone longer then he'd wanted and only hoped she'd not woken yet, Edward paused in the doorway of her room as he found Charlie and Sue Clearwater sitting together. They'd found some type of relationship after the death of Sue's husband Harry, though the love shared by Sue and Harry had been waning for many years even more after both Seth and Leah's shifting. She had been there the night that Leah had shifted too close to Harry, she'd been in a confined room with her daughter had exploded outwards and Harry already with his actual weak heart hadn't survived long enough with his injuries to get help. Sue had consoled a deeply upset Leah and then they'd waited for Sam, Billy and Old Quil to come to collect Harry Clearwater's corpse from their home. It had been one of the last images in Leah's mind as she'd died from her wounds, she'd been lucky to bleed out before the venom had been allowed to kill her, a mercy in the end. Leah had died thinking of her father's dead body because of her.

"Edward, son I'm glad you got some rest. She's all good mumbling now and then but I think she's going to come around soon" Charlie had genuinely seemed pleased to see Edward and he couldn't help but smile at that as Charlie stood when Edward moved into the room his seat still empty as Edward moved to take claim of it again taking Bella's hand. All while Sue watched him through slanted eyes as she glared. She had no idea, no idea that she was looking at the man who had just killed her daughter.

"That's good. I'm sorry I was gone for so long. I have family in town they've come to visit Bella after hearing about what happened they were worried. They came into some trouble on the way in so my siblings and I went to deal with it" Edward said evenly with no sign of emotion as he slowly looked from Bella and Charlie too look straight into Sue's own eyes. She'd known the pack was planning some type of attack, it had been the reason she'd come to the hospital to see Charlie believing that she'd be safer in public against some type of attack if the pack failed.

"That's real nice of your family Edward coming to see Bella like that" Charlie said a little awkwardly though he did appreciate that Bella had so many close friends to help her get through everything. He was worried about having to speak to Bella about what had happened and what had resulted in the deaths of Jake and Paul, Embry having his own room here in the hospital too.

"Renee should be landing late today during the evening. Phil couldn't come with her I already made some arrangements with Rose and Emmet for picking her up from Seattle. So I'll have to speak with your siblings if they're around" Edward nodded knowing that Alice had been the one to set that in motion, Renee in Seattle was a risk in itself with all the vampire's in that area right now and the constant death toll rising. It seemed his family would be farther stretched then he'd wanted and now Sue would know that two of his family members would be alone away from Forks. He hoped the added involvement of Renee would keep Sue from mentioning it.

"Rose and Emmet are just speaking with Carlisle they should be here in a second I'm sure you can speak with them then" Edward smiled as he held Bella's hand in his own again, Sue's mind seething at how nonchalant Edward was around them when he'd killed those boys and Edward couldn't even suppress his smirk as he knew he'd done much worse.

"My cousins from Alaska will be coming later. Family sticks together in times like these" Edward then looked to Sue again and she paused the sinking feeling in her gut tightened as she believed Edward was sending her some type of message and suddenly she felt the need to run back to the reservation, La Push and find out what had happened.

"Well I'm more then okay with that. I know we've both had our differences about each other, I'm glad Bella has you Edward. With everything that has happened it makes me grateful you and your family care so much about Bella" Charlie said honestly and he meant it completely, it appeared that Charlie's once long held grudge was all but pushed aside in his mind now. Edward and every one of the Cullen family had been nothing but good to not only him but Bella too, Edward and Bella loved each other and he was okay with that. He wanted his little girl to be happy, life was too short.

"I have to go Charlie. I hope Bella gets better soon, I'll call you later" Sue said finally not able to swallow much more of Charlie being so thankful and happy about Edward's presence. She'd once believed he'd hated the Cullen family as much as she did after they had hurt Bella, she felt betrayed by his welcoming ways and wished she could reveal what his daughter lay in bed with at night. Sue had already believed Bella too far gone to be saved from the vampire's claim. She hoped Charlie survived when she ended up dead alongside them. Edward had to restrain the growl that almost slipped past his lips at Sue's thoughts his anger at this woman. She wasn't innocent just as judgemental and prejudice as the rest of them. Had covered up the murders of people, good innocent people even her own husband to allow the pack to do whatever they wanted.

"Yeah okay Sue I'll call you later" Charlie smiled blushing slightly and it resembled Bella to Edward and he found himself smiling wider at the Chief of Police blushing at the affections of a woman he cared for deeply. It had been a long time since Charlie had felt this way, Edward only felt badly that the woman Charlie was falling in love with didn't deserve him. Sue touched his hand once; she refused to touch Bella while Edward was so close and in contact like the whole act would make something of him brush off on her. She reached the doorway before Edward called out to her.

"Ms Clearwater" Sue turned her eyes dark and thoughts even more so.

"I'd just like to share my condolences. It's never easy losing those close to you, I can't imagine what I'd feel if I'd lost any of my family" Edward said his face covered to Charlie as he smirked at Sue and her eyes widened. While Charlie only heard a respectful comment from Edward to the woman he cared about Sue saw it for what it was. Both knew Edward wasn't sorry and the reality that this monster had taken more lives made her feel only sicker as she cursed Edward in her mind to the very depths of hell, Edward maliciously wondered if Leah were already there for her sins. Sue with watering eyes turned with her head held high and rushed out of the room, he could still hear in her mind her fear escalating as she moved as fast as she could toward the hospital's exit to check on her people, but mostly her children.

"That was nice of you Edward. I wasn't aware you knew there was a relationship between the Clearwater's and Black's" Charlie said as Edward forced a somewhat reserved smile as he turned back around taking claim of Bella's hand between his own as he leant forward.

"I know many of the members of the La Push Quileute's see each other as family" Edward said while looking at Bella, her breathing more even, her heartbeat seeming strong and back to its usual self her scent was still strange but it would fade soon enough. He could tell that she was now simply sleeping and not forced into sleep through the medication Carlisle had given to her. She'd be awake soon, he hoped she was ready for just how drastically things had changed in the day since her accident the world she knew was no longer the same.

"Jacob...No...run" Edward stiffened at Bella's words as she mumbled in her sleep.

It should have made him feel relieved, it didn't.

The first time he'd heard anything from her, first time she'd mumbled a word since he'd found her. It wasn't him she called out too, it was the dog. If he'd had blood it would have boiled his anger hit him so hard, the room around went deathly silent Charlie even realising the awkward tense air that surrounded them all.

A Human, a vampire, his mate who dreamed of another man.

A man he'd killed.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N Hey everyone, here is the next chapter I hope you've all been waiting for it's a little earlier than I expected to get it to you. Unfortunately it's still only an edited version by me so I'm sorry for any mistakes you guys may find amongst the writing. You've all been great though when you've ever noticed anything I've done wrong. Anyway I'll let you get to Chapter Six and I hope to see what you all think of it. I might be able to get another chapter to you before the end of the week it all comes down to if I'm writing future chapters still and have enough time to go back and edit the old for you to read. Anyway, enjoy.**

 **RED DAWN**

 **SUMMARY:** Edward had always warned Bella that the pack were dangerous. Hostile, volatile and aggressive in nature. She ignored him, testing even Edward's own vampire instinct by staying friends with his enemy, Jacob. One event will change them all, Bella never truly understood the supernatural world. Didn't understand the aggression that lay dormant even in her controlled mate until it was too late. Warning: Violence and Character death.

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the Characters.**

* * *

 **Chapter Six**

"I don't understand why they'd have made the change now though. If they had been capable of the shift why would they have not done so when the younger boys had" Carlisle said as he looked between Jasper and Edward as the family had huddled together in Bella's room closing the door. Edward wasn't going anywhere as it had become clear soon after he'd heard Bella mumble in her sleep. The family had decided then that this meeting would need to take place within her actual hospital room.

Charlie had left to go into work, while he'd wanted to stay his deputy had called in with a situation at first Edward believed that the tribe of La Push might have reported some of the deaths. It seemed that while Charlie had placed through a report about the animal attack the deaths and injury of Embry had been handled on their end. Charlie would do his own report once he could speak to Bella but there wouldn't be any further police involvement, an animal attack wasn't really his line of work. Though Charlie had been prepared to get some of his men together and go out into the surrounding forest to hunt down the savage animal. Charlie had left knowing that Bella was in good care with Edward back around and his family there to watch over her.

He'd spoken with Emmet and Rose before leaving to make sure they knew what time Renee's flight would be landing and that they had her number. Renee was aware that it would be Edward's siblings that would be picking her up. Tanya and Eleazer were finally doing better after the attack physically, though the grief had finally set in for the three Denali members'. Kate was still unconscious but was showing signs of coming around sooner than expected. Eleazer had sent Jasper and Alice off to the hospital knowing that the family had much to discuss and confident that they'd be able to defend themselves or at least recognise the coming pack this time should they be hunted again. Both groups had doubted that the pack would attempt an attack on the Cullen home though. The family had done their best to tell Carlisle what had happened, while Edward had caught onto the threat that he'd believed was occurring Carlisle had never expected them to so quickly figure out the Denali would be arriving. He'd been deeply upset over the destruction of Irina and the injuries inflicted upon the other members of the Denali coven. His friends who had become an extended family to him over the years were hurt because his family had needed them to stand by them. He felt guilty even if he'd not been the one to ask them to come here.

Now however Carlisle wanted to understand the strange phenomena of the adult male members of the tribe making the shift. It seemed oddly out of sorts that the younger males had shifted before the more mature members. Originally believing that the gene had simply skipped a generation, he'd been further upset that his family had killed more of the pack. Though Carlisle had not voiced these thoughts yet. Edward had picked them up, and refused to challenge Carlisle's still adamant need for none violence and peace between them. He was deeply disturbed by the fact Edward had singled out the female Leah. For what she meant emotionally to members of the pack and killed her in such a way that would leave a lasting effect. He worried over the fact that Edward had also used that ever present deathly bite and injection of venom to bring about the most suffering to his enemy too.

A theory he'd created in his own mind and never spoken aloud was being used to its complete effect in his son's capable hands.

"Does it really matter the why and how? They've got more numbers" Emmet said from the corner of the room with his arms tightly crossed over his chest.

"More numbers which is exactly what they need to pose a better threat" Alice said right back, all those wolves meant even more blind spots for her now.

They'd be able to spread themselves wider covering more ground that Alice wouldn't be able to see around and now with the lives of her family tied in so tightly with that of the pack it meant all visions had seemed to leave her now. In her families time of need it felt like she'd been stolen of something that had helped guide them through the decades. They'd rely more on Edward's gift now to see all around them.

"They aren't scared. With those larger wolves they seemed pretty ready to fight and they didn't look nearly as untamed as they have in the past" Rose said though she'd only seen what had been the end of the confrontation she'd only been surprised one wolf alone had pursued Carmen and not more.

"We were fortunate Edward figured it out from here" Jasper said nodding his head towards Edward's direction as he'd still remained beside his mate, watching her closely waiting for her to say something else or to wake up finally.

"Had he not killed the girl I don't think we'd have walked away without more casualties. Eleazer, Tanya and Kate wouldn't have survived another fight. Carmen has no training at all. They would have been too many for the four of us to handle alone. Killing Leah had the perfect effect, hurt the alpha enough that one of his own men had to force him away seeing his devastation for what it would have done. Gotten him killed" Jasper said bluntly, it was true Jasper had felt the emotions twisted in that small clearing of space as Edward had broken the alpha's heart in front of his entire pack. He'd weakened him and the brutality of seeing Edward holding the young girl naked and bleeding from her throat was everything the men of the tribe feared about the cold ones.

"Joshua Uley. Sam's father was the one who forced him away. It appears he's taken second in command after his son" Edward finally broke his silence speaking out to explain who it had been of the new members. While the short time around them hadn't given him all the names he'd at least known that it had been Sam's father who'd gotten the wolves to leave. Edward predicted Joshua may be more of a threat then that even of Sam, he was level headed had taken to the transformation with an ease the others hadn't.

"I just don't understand why they've now began to change. Edward you said Embry's father is also experiencing the fever that some of the men were ill still" Carlisle tried to engage Edward now that he seemed to be responding, Esme reached to her husband squeezing his forearm to comfort him in any way she could.

"Bella once mentioned to me that the wolves believed they changed when they sensed their enemy near. The younger men of the tribe were the first to directly be around any of us. Billy was already crippled so he'd have never made the shift. Harry weak with illness and Old Quil far too old. We never spent any time around the adult men younger than those in the council so they'd have never activated the gene I suppose" Edward explained thinking over what could have brought about the drastic change in the men.

They'd believed the younger boys had been shifting because of the vampire's that were being changed in Seattle and the only available were the even younger boys, they'd clearly been wrong in that theory now with the men changing too.

"That still doesn't explain why now" Rose spoke up this time.

"Well if they become what they are to protect the tribe I can only assume that they are changing now as a result of what I did" Edward said as his family looked at him confused struggling to understand how he could possibly be the reason the men were becoming members of the pack.

"I went directly on the reservation. A vampire came onto their land, then killed two pack members and left a third for dead. The gene in them is being awoken because I spilt shifter blood on their own lands without being stopped. They've felt the need to protect the people and it's awoken them" Edward had put it together in his mind fairly quickly it seemed the only logical explanation, there had been no shifters since they'd come back to Forks and Sam had shifted quickly after they'd arrived.

With the more vampire's that seemed to be around the more of the men with the gene would shift. Though Edward doubted that the dwindling numbers of pure blooded members of the tribe was very few and didn't believe many more would be able to shift. What the pack had now though was more than enough to be a very deadly threat. Edward wished he'd done as Emmet had wanted the night before and finished them off while weak. They'd be much more of a challenge now.

"This has escalated so quickly" Carlisle sighed reaching up to run his hand through his blonde hair, he knew now more than anything that he had no one to stand in his corner to find a better solution then fighting the pack.

He'd hoped by talking to Carmen and Eleazer they'd manage to hold off both of their families from rushing in and wiping out a very unique and rare species in the shifters. With the loss of Irina and the harm inflicted upon them he knew they would not agree with him, knew that even his own wife Esme wasn't completely in agreement with him about simply walking away to stop a fight.

"Hesitation in battle is never a good thing Carlisle. They've shown they aren't as unprepared for this as we thought but with the right planning I have no reason to believe we can't handle this threat" Jasper said believing that Carlisle worry came from a place that felt that they couldn't beat the pack without losing anyone else.

Jasper was already eager to speak with Edward about designing plans of murder to hurt the pack even more as they licked their wounds and those injured healed. He wanted to go on the offensive and was ready to cross into the reservation to place fear and pain into his enemy.

"Jacob" Bella mumbled roughly her voice weak as her eyes moved beneath the eyelids, Edward's body rigged as he turned his face back to his mate then looked amongst his family.

"She's waking. It's best you all leave but Carlisle should stay to check her over" Edward said and it was clear in his tone there was no room for arguments, as his family looked between each other.

"We better go anyway Rose. Go get Bella's momma" Emmet offered his hand to Rose as they exited the room Esme and Alice following close behind the two of them out of the room. Jasper fixed his eyes with Edward his mind reaching out to his brother.

" _I'll be close by should you need me. This won't be easy. We have much to discuss, I'm going to need to know the ties that bind them to know where best to hurt the pack. Emotional targeting is just as effective as any well aimed strike"_ Jasper's thought to Edward nodding once before exiting out of the room but standing as close to the room as he could to be able to keep a handle on the emotions in the room ready to help Edward should he needed with Bella waking up.

"How do you want to handle this she's going to have questions straight away" Carlisle said concerned now, while he knew the news had to be broken to Bella delicately he was relieved that she was finally waking. Hoping, beyond hope that her being aware may help bring his son back to himself. Carlisle believed Edward was falling to his baser aggressive nature in her injured state.

"Avoid mentioning anything other than her health please. I'm not going to hide it from her but once you've checked her vitals and made sure she's not in pain. I'll be the one to explain what's become of the pack and our family" Edward said firmly not wanting to argue with Carlisle, his thoughts were starting to anger Edward with each thought that found him believing Edward wasn't in control.

Edward knew he was reacting differently, he couldn't understand why Carlisle couldn't accept that Edward was doing what had to be done for the family. He wished Carlisle had it within himself to act instead of stand back looking for resolutions to things that could not be resolved without violence. It did not help his patients that once again the name that left his mates lips was the mutt's name. He'd waited almost two days to hear her speak to know she was still with him and the first words she spoke were for the dead.

The two returned to silence Carlisle feeling the tension around his son and himself knowing that patients were warring thin now, he knew his need for peace wasn't his family's desire. At least now he had something to focus his mind on other then the thought of his friends harmed and one gone forever, the destruction of Irina played on his mind. The fear that he could lose any of his family, any one of those he saw as his own children it would break his heart and the idea of losing Esme to this. He couldn't even allow himself to think on it. He'd never be able to endure that fate. Bella's even breathing steadily changed as she started to move a little more in her bed. Like she often did when she awoke Edward watched the way she turned into her pillow pressing her nose into the soft sheet. He'd always found it very endearing the adorable way she'd press her face against the pillow many mornings they had shared where it had been his chest that she'd nuzzled her face into as she woke with him holding her.

He'd give anything for it to be his arms wrapped around her instead of sitting beside her bed. He knew that things were going to be different now he could only hope that they would make it through this. That Bella would somehow understand, she'd once said she'd love him no matter what he'd done. Even before she'd known he didn't drink human blood she had told him it didn't matter what he was, even learning that he'd originally wanted to drain her on first meeting her she'd never ran. Would she run now from him, run from the man who had killed three of her friends? He'd taken Jake, Paul and Leah from this world and he planned on taking more. Could she over look this now as his family prepared to kill people Bella had always viewed as friends.

Bella eyes parted once then just a slither of those eyes that kept so much secret from him, the one mind in the entire world he'd wish to see and it had always remained silent to him. What thoughts and secrets she'd be able to keep from him. It both frustrated and endeared him to her. Edward knew that in her silent mind that she had truly been made for him, he'd often said how incapable he'd have ever been with being with someone whose mind he could see at all times. Her silent mind gave them that mystery and while he still couldn't help but want to know it, now he wished he could see her thoughts more than anything. Her eyes fluttered slowly as her hand came up to rub at her eyes Edward reached out gently to stop her from rubbing at the stitching on her face so she didn't split them as her brow creased in confusion. Bella slowly forced her sleepy tired eyes open completely trying to sit up quickly as Edward stood from his seat close by to help her as to make sure she didn't jerk too much and cause herself discomfort or any further harm. It was better for them to prevent any chance of her stitches breaking and the wound opening up again.

"Easy love try to be calm" Edward whispered as Bella turned her head to the side seeing Edward then her face still registered confusion but once her eyes met his he watched her visibly relax. It made him happy seeing her react happily to him as she smiled softly but then noticed her surroundings her pouted lips parting slightly lost on a word she couldn't seem to speak.

"It's good to have you back with us Bella we've been very worried" Carlisle said from the other side of her bed as Bella turned to look at Carlisle.

She was still disorientated and not sure how she'd ended up her but it was slowly starting to come back around to her. She remembered she'd gone to La Push after telling Edward she wouldn't, she cringed outwardly at that thought knowing how upset Edward would be with her for doing that. Going back on her word especially when she'd constantly tried to hold him to his own.

"I... I'm not sure" Bella said in a raspy tone as Edward moved to the other side of the room taking a plastic cup and filling it full of water from a brightly coloured jug and walking back to Bella's side.

Handing her the water as she took a heavy pull and then smiling at Edward. She felt the sharp pain in her cheek as she smiled at him and then reached up to touch her face this time Carlisle stopped her, she suddenly felt the need to look at herself in the mirror. Her face felt weird and it hurt, it stung and ached it didn't feel like herself, her stomach and chest hurt the most and itchy against the hospital gown she was wearing.

"Do you remember what happened to you Bella?" Carlisle asked but Edward audibly hissed and that made Bella turn her head quickly towards Edward who was standing there glaring at Carlisle she couldn't remember a time when Edward had ever reacted in such a way especially to Carlisle.

"I was at La Push visiting my friends" Bella said slowly but watching Edward as he remained glaring across at his father, she noticed that his eyes looked different. They weren't Black or the butterscotch colour she loved so much but a strange murky muddy brown colour she didn't recognise, was he thirsty how long had she been in the hospital for.

"Jacob" Edward hissed out correcting Bella as she looked from him and then away knowing that she'd need to apologise for going off after she'd promised him she wouldn't go to the reservation. She'd sent him off with the promise of not going to La Push so he could hunt and then she'd left hoping to be back before her overprotective vampire came back to her. Bella started to remember though what had happened when Edward had hissed Jake's name in that dark tenor that both scared and thrilled her for some strange reason.

" _I should probably be getting back" Bella sat on the bench as Jacob worked on the bikes, not that she believed she'd ever ride them again._

 _She didn't need them now, the only reason she'd ever wanted to learn had been her own insane way of seeing Edward. She hadn't been one for thinking straight than, Jessica was more than vocal about Bella's crazy phase when Edward had left. She didn't think Jessica would ever forgive her the horrible movie night in Port Angeles._

" _What's such the rush? Thought we were going to hang" Jake said with a sad smile though Bella had to admit she wasn't having nearly as much fun as she usually would. She felt guilty for going back on her word and watching Jake just work on the bikes in relative silence was boring, now she just wanted to get home so she could be with Edward._

" _We've hung out. Anyway Edward will be back soon and I want to spend time with him" Bella said while she knew Jake didn't like hearing about Edward she was in love with him and she wished that Jake would be more supportive of her relationship. She could see from his face that he hadn't liked her answer._

" _Bloodsucker has you doing everything he wants?" Jake said snidely glaring at the wrench in his hand as he stood up throwing it down into his tool box wiping the grease onto the thighs of his pants._

" _That's not true Jake. If it was up to Edward I wouldn't even be here" Bella tried to defend, she hated that it always came back to this. Hated that Jake was always the first to resort to name calling, in the last few months she'd been finding it harder and harder to keep this friendship between them. Jake was too angry all the time, even in Edward's dislike of him he never resorted to childish mudslinging like Jacob did._

" _Of course you wouldn't because he knows just like I do that the more time you spend with me the more likely you are to see what's right in front of you" Bella stood then from the bench sighing in aggravation and frustration, it really was the same argument every time._

 _His belief that she was in love with him or had some kind of feelings that were more than just a friend, she knew her feelings she didn't need some sixteen year old shifter telling her what she felt. She was his friend, she loved him as her best friend, he'd been there for her when she'd felt completely broken, he was like a little brother._

" _That's not the reason Jake because Edward knows I love him. I'm so tired of this always coming back to this argument. I don't want us to part you're my best friend Jake but Edward. Edward is the one I'm in love with. You're like a brother too me" Bella knew it hadn't been what he wanted to hear as his frame went stiff and then it trembled slightly, she'd seen this before and he usually gained control of himself given enough time._

" _I know what you feel for me Bella you just won't admit it" Jake said as he moved towards her and gripped the top of her arms more roughly then she liked as she leant back trying to move away then. Jake tried to lean forward as Bella shifted her head away seeing that he was trying to kiss her._

" _What the hell are you doing Jacob?" Bella said angrily shoving at his chest even if it did little to move him away as he stopped his advance on trying to forcefully kiss her he looked so angry at her._

" _Let me go I'm going home. This is getting out of hand, you need to decided if you want to keep forcing this because I'm telling you Jake its friendship only. I love Edward. I want Edward. There is no one else, I'm going to be with him forever" Bella blurted out in her urgency to get him to let go so she could leave, this had been a huge mistake to come to La Push she should have just stayed home like she'd told Edward she would._

" _Forever. Like one of them. A leech, a dirty parasite. A fucking cold one. I won't let you become one of them. I'd rather anything other than that. Death would be better than that" Jacob inhaled through his nose his nostrils flaring as he growled out through his teeth shoving Bella slightly away._

" _Get the hell away from me" Jacob growled at her_

" _Jake it doesn't have to be like that. We can still be friends" Bella said then hating the torment on her friends face, wasn't this the same game they constantly played. Jacob said mean things and pushed his luck, Bella got angry defended Edward and then hurt Jacob's feelings then she'd try to fix it. She felt she owed him after all he'd done for her during her time of need._

" _I said go" Jacob grabbed onto her arms tightly enough that Bella knew he'd bruise her and though he told her to go and she would have run from the way he'd grabbed her. But he held onto her. Jake didn't release her as his body trembled and then he barely shoved her back before the ripping sound of his clothes as he began to twist and explode out of his own skin becoming the wolf. In the small garage Bella could only look on wide eyed with nowhere to go as she watched almost in slow motion as Jacob's claws slashed down her face and body and Bella screamed in absolute pain. She'd never felt so much pain as she hit the ground and found herself gasping for breath, she whimpered and called out to Jake to get help knowing she was in serious trouble all she heard was the ferocious sound of a roar._

 _A roar that wasn't a wolf in the distance before her vision faded._

Bella sat there in shocked silence then, her eyes turning to her lap as she realised and remembered what had happened to her, she'd been confused at first but now. She struggled with what she knew had happened and felt so terrible, she'd gone to La Push even though Edward had constantly tried to warn her, he'd told her how little control any of the pack had. She'd seen a constant reminder in Emily, hadn't she? Her scarred face from Sam losing control and hurting her and yet she'd naively believed that she wasn't going to get hurt, she'd never thought Jake could hurt her. Jacob he'd lost control, his constant anger at her lack of feelings for him and her choice in Edward had driven him over the edge of his own restraint. She knew that Jacob must feel terribly guilty for what had happened to her. They were both at fault, she should have left instead of getting into a stupid fight over nothing and now she was scared, she knew what stitching felt like and she realised that was what she could feel on her face and catching against the hospital gown.

Bella with watering eyes looked up to Edward his face fixed in that still emotionless state as he looked straight ahead not even looking at her. She probably disgusted him now, was she like Emily or worse she didn't believe Emily had the scaring on her body but Bella knew she would. She remembered the pain of the claws slashing down her body she'd felt the blood all around her as she'd been left on the ground bleeding out. Jacob must have gained enough control to shift back and get her to the hospital she wasn't surprised that he wasn't around; he wouldn't want to be around the Cullen's especially Edward. She need to speak to him, he'd feel awful and while she didn't think she'd be able to be around him any longer after this she didn't want him to feel guilty for not being able to control himself. She'd been warned, she should have listened. She felt so terrible though as Edward stood before her so beautiful even in his clear anger and upset. Because that emotionless expression she'd seen it before when he erected those walls around himself to place the control that he always held onto. He was always so controlled. His iron clad will was awe inspiring to her she wondered if it was from him being a vampire or just Edward the person she knew him to be.

"I'm sorry" Bella said through the tears that slipped down her cheeks as she looked at Edward wishing for him to just turn and acknowledge her but he was frozen in his position.

"I'm so sorry I should have listened" Bella rasped as Carlisle tenderly placed a hand on Bella's hand on her lap trying to sooth her as she turned to Carlisle as he sat on the edge of her bed to gain her attention.

"You suffered some very serve wounds Bella. I gave you a blood transfusion and some pain medication to deal with the pain. I've lessened that though since we brought you in. I know this is a lot to take in after waking up. Your wounds will heal with the right care and time but you will have some rather extensive scarring over your face and body, this can be fixed with reconstructive surgery. We'll talk more about the options you have once your parents are here. Charlie had to go into the station and Emmet and Rose are collecting Renee from the airport right now" Carlisle explained to Bella and she couldn't help the gut wrenching fear of what she might look like. She'd never been vain or believed she was anything other than average looking but the idea of her scarred and ugly next to Edward who she'd always struggled understanding finding her attractive with his ethereal beauty made her insecurities only worsen.

"She won't need the surgery" Edward said in a tone that Bella wasn't sure she'd ever heard before.

"Once I change her, the scars will fade away. No point putting her under the knife if it won't be an issue once she's one of us" Edward said surprising and shocking Bella. He'd always been so against her becoming a vampire and here he was outright and without hesitation saying he'd change her. It made her smile even in spite of her tears, he still wanted her even though she'd been an idiot and gone against her word and ended up hurt.

"It's something to think about. Your parents will be here soon enough I'm sure and they'll expect to know if there is anything that can be done for you" Carlisle said gently as Bella nodded, he could see the tension there still feel it as Edward still hadn't looked at either of them still standing stock still emotionlessly. He hoped Jasper had remained close by to keep a handle on Edward's emotions, Bella was fragile still and Edward was clearly upset.

"How did I get here? Did Jake bring me to the hospital?" Bella asked confused now, she'd been in La Push so she knew that none of the Cullen's would have been able to come to her but the second she asked the question she heard the scoffed response of Edward his eyes had finally turned to her and they looked so angry that they made her cringe back.

He didn't say anything though simply looking down at her like she'd said something that he disliked and she couldn't understand. Though she assumed that any of mention of her friend, would not be welcome around Edward after he'd accidently shifted and hurt her. She'd need to explain that it wasn't Jake's fault completely, though she doubted Edward would ever see it anyway other than that.

"Edward perhaps I should stay" Carlisle said in a tone that conveyed his concern with leaving them alone together but Edward gave one firm shake of his head.

"What's wrong?" Bella asked now seeing the worry on Carlisle's face and the pure anger on Edward's, she wasn't sure what she'd preferred the emotionless response or this anger that was radiating from him.

"Will someone please explain what's wrong?" Bella said she knew that Edward often reacted badly to her being in harm's way hadn't the events after her birthday showed that Edward abhorred her being in danger.

"I'd like to speak with Bella alone Carlisle" Edward said evenly then, dismissing his father as Edward took a seat beside Bella as he watched her face intently.

He was so happy she was awake but her constant mentioning of the dog. Her lack of anger at what he'd done to her, she was apologising to him and he knew why but it only seemed to twist in his gut making him angrier. Carlisle didn't want to leave but with a firm nod towards the door Carlisle knew that he had to give them time together, they had so much to talk about. It made him concerned for them both, scenarios running through Carlisle's mind of the possible results of this talk as he closed the door behind him leaving Bella and Edward alone.

There silence was like a visible thickness that surrounded them, Bella still upset and worried that she'd perhaps pushed Edward too far by going against what she'd agreed. She'd broken her word when she knew how important it was to Edward. He'd left to hunt, trusting her to stay safe. Now she was sitting in a hospital bed scarred by her friend, someone Edward already distrusted so greatly because of what he was. She knew she'd disappointed him and that hurt just as much, failing in Edward's eyes would break her heart. To not be what he believed her to be. They both held these unrealistic images of each other. Even as Bella wiped her cheek not touching the stitched one, the fear now to feel what was there preventing her as she tried not to blush under Edward's strange eyes watching every inch of her face.

"Is it that bad?" She whispered to Edward as he shook his head, almost heartbroken by her words. Edward reached forward then finally making contact with her for the first time since she'd awoken pressing his palm against her cheek as Bella leant into the coolness of his touch.

"You are beautiful Bella. You will always be beautiful to me. These scars change nothing about how I feel. Even if it twists in my soul that you've been marked in such a way. Finding you lying in your own blood, dying..." Edward closed his eyes against the memory as Bella took his hand on her face moving it to her lips pressing her kiss into his palm as she watched him visibly struggle with the thoughts he had in his own head.

Edward had been the one to find her, which made no sense because she'd been in La Push. She'd assumed Jacob had brought her to the hospital once he'd gained control of himself. Had the two, Jacob and Edward somehow found a way to look past the animosity and hate to both get her the help she needed, she hoped. It was all she longed for really other than being with Edward forever as his equal that her best friend and the man she loved could finally look past what they are and just accept each other.

"I'm so sorry I snuck out. I knew as soon as I arrived at the reservation it was wrong. I'm always telling you about honesty and then I went and lied to you. Jacob must feel so horrible..." Bella stopped abruptly in what she was saying as the room was filled with a deep and low growl that vibrated down her own spine and made the hairs stand on end, her eyes wide looking at Edward as he glared towards her.

"Who gives a fuck about how that dog feels" Edward snarled out shocking Bella at not only his tone but the viciousness behind it she'd never in her entire time with Edward ever seen him cuss. He'd always been the perfect gentleman and in her mind she'd always just assumed that type of language was beneath him. She understood he was upset even angry, she'd feel those exact same things if the situation could be reversed but she couldn't blame Jacob completely. She'd known the danger.

"I know you must be so angry. At him and me, it was an accident though Edward. Jake would never want to hurt me. He'd have never wanted this to happen, I'm sure if he'd thought he could have hurt me he'd have not wanted me on La Push visiting him" Edward snorted at her and Bella found herself getting angry about that, his attitude and complete disregard of what she was saying. She was used to him being more understanding more willing to listen to what she said.

"He must have cared enough to let you on the reservation to help get me care so I didn't die" Bella tried to calm Edward make him see that Jake hadn't meant to do this, her hands still clinging to Edward's own large rigged hand in her possession not wanting to break contact with him.

"Bella he never let me on La Push land. I didn't wait for permission. I heard in his mind the second he shifted. I watched in his mind as he ripped up your skin, I watched him angrily lash out against you. Do you really believe I would have simply stood and waited? Watched as my mate died" Edward said gravely as he looked at Bella his expression furious, Bella felt hollow that Edward had witnessed the attack this was much worse then she'd believed.

He'd never be able to forget that, seeing her harmed because of Jake, she had tried so hard to get them to work together all hope of that seemed futile now Edward would never forgive this.

"It was an accident Edward. Like my birthday" Bella said but she knew it was the wrong thing to say as soon as it left her mouth, the subject of the events of her birthday and what had resulted after it was still very painful for the both of them.

"No this isn't like your birthday Bella. Things are exceptionally more complicated now. Did you truly believe they'd let me on their land, that they'd be so forgiving of a blatant break in the treaty?" Edward asked her now wanting to understand her mind, was she truly blind to the hostility between the pack and his family.

She'd been observant enough to see what he was but somehow blind to what was happening between two natural enemies under her nose. Blind to the child pursuing her or had she just ignored it. Edward wasn't completely sure which was worse.

"You were trying to save me" Bella said weakly worried about Edward now knowing all too well how serious the pack and council were about the rules of the treaty being held.

Even if she knew herself that they didn't follow it completely, hadn't Jake broken those rules when she'd first met him on first beach, then when they continued to come into Forks even though it was Cullen territory?

"Yes. I was trying to save you. I came to you instantly. I moved past both Paul and Embry to get to you. Then that's where I found you Bella, laying in the doorway of that garage. Your blood splattered against the back wall, it coating every inch of you. That dog standing there between you and I" Edward inhaled through his nostrils, he'd have to tell her and he knew now more so then ever that this would not go well. She'd been so confident of it being an accident and while it had been, Jake hadn't cared once he'd set sights on killing Edward. Bella would have simply been a very sad casualty.

"There you were dying. Your heart barely a flutter as you bled out. He stood there, your friend Jacob Black he stood there in wolf form. And do you want to know how terrible he felt Bella? Would you like to know what he thought as my world was slowly dying at his feet?" Edward asked a little harsher then he'd ever intended telling her but his own anger was getting the best of him as Bella looked at Edward tormented and angry in silence even though she continued crying silently her stomach twisted in knots of worry.

"He didn't think of you at all" Edward hissed.

"Instead of wanting to help me get you help. All he thought about was killing me, I'd finally broken the treaty and he had reason to attack me. So instead of thinking of you dying because of him he planned to kill me Bella. With time so important to whether or not you'd live he decided to stop me and try and end your only chance of living. I did what had to be done. I did what any mate would do to protect their reason for existing. I saw you dying and him lunging at me to bring about my death and I ended him. I snapped his neck and left him dead at my feet" Edward had said cruelly and ignored the gasped breath that left Bella at what he'd said.

Her gentle vampire who resisted the pull of human blood to not be a monster, who denied his very nature to be good. The man she loved even though he carried so much guilt and hate for everything he'd become and done, the man she'd loved had killed her friend. Bella pulled her hand away from Edward's own hand as if the touch had burned her as she shoved it away from her, her hands moving to cover her face as she sobbed into her hands.

"It was an accident" Bella sobbed into her hands trying to understand how this could have happened. She'd gone to La Push and broken her word and now her best friend was dead, she'd made the man she loved a killer because he'd had to defend himself against Jake when she'd already made him so angry. She'd never believed Edward capable of doing such a thing.

"It wasn't an accident Bella. An accident is something you learn from and don't repeat. Your little friend Jacob. You aren't the first he's done this too. You are just lucky enough to have survived it" Edward spat standing and moving himself away from her then, his anger getting the best of him and usually tormented by her tears when she cried for the boy who had hurt her it made him feel completely irrational.

"Jacob wouldn't hurt anyone" Bella had moved her hands away from her face swiping at tears frantically, she was upset with herself and angry so very angry that Edward had killed Jacob. That he'd done that to her and also that he'd done it to himself, he was so burdened by his self loathing she feared what this would do to him too.

"Wouldn't hurt anyone love?" Edward said sarcastically turning then as he stood across the room and ripping the circular mirror from the wall, causing gauges in the brick wall as the nails were forcefully removed and he stood in front of her showing her the reflection of her own face.

"He hurt you. He marked you. This boy you trusted who you believe is so innocent he hurt you Bella and then he refused to stand aside to let me help you. What would you have rather I'd done. Let him kill me? Is that what you wanted for me to die so he could live?" Edward snarled out and then Jasper moved into the doorway the wave of calm bombarding Edward then and even Bella the tension and anger becoming too thick. Jasper didn't want either of them drawing attention to themselves from the nurses.

"Of course I'd never want you hurt" Bella cried so confused with what she was feeling and yet she couldn't feel what she wanted with Edward around her. He stood there so angry even himself, she'd hurt him she could see that even behind his rage that her own actions and feelings had hurt the man she was in love with. She felt so much guilt though, her choice to break her word had opened Pandora's Box and now her best friend was dead and she wasn't sure if she'd broken her unbreakable vampire in the process.

"No just rather your Jake didn't have to die. Must be hard not to have a second option to run away too when you don't get what you want" Edward retorted back as Jasper moved to him then gripping his arm tightly telling his brother to calm down or he'd remove him. Jasper knew this was also Edward's own insecurities playing part in his anger, he'd known better than most how twisted and tormented he'd been tying himself up over the entire Bella and Jacob relationship. She'd refused and denied having feelings for him and yet constantly tried to spend time with him, even when Edward had asked her not too.

"That isn't...Edward he was my friend. He was there for me" Bella shook her head wildly not understanding why Edward was being so cruel with her, didn't he understand that she'd just lost her best friend. She'd had as much a hand in Jake's death as Edward himself.

"He was never your friend" Edward snarled as Jasper stood there still keeping his brother tethered to his position.

"He never saw you as a friend he only desired what he couldn't have. He was there for you because he hoped you'd come around to his advances. There was no friendship from him, he wanted you. He'd manipulate and lie in any way he needed to make sure he could keep trying to make you be his. A friend is happy when their friend is happy Isabella, Jake only became more hostile the happier you were with me" And it had the effect he'd wanted when he'd finally stopped because for months Bella had ignored his trying to tell her what he'd seen in Jake's mind and now with so much out in the open he could see even from her face she didn't doubt it. Hadn't the conversation before Jake had lashed out all but proven any mention of Edward and her being happy only made Jake angrier the fact he'd tried to force a kiss on her before everything had gone wrong.

"Please I just need... I need time" Bella cried harder then turning her head away from looking at Edward and Jasper, she didn't see the agonized look that had filtered over Edward's features and the slight wince from Jasper as he'd felt his brother's own pain.

"You're sending me away" the fight now seemed to have all but been knocked from Edward, Bella with her need for time had been vastly more effective then Jasper's influence on ridding of Edward's anger.

"I just" Bella wouldn't look at him she didn't want him to go away but she couldn't deal with this with him close, she'd done this to them all though hadn't she. Refused to acknowledge Jake's motives, refused to believe Edward's words for truth and instead his overprotective nature, she'd wanted to be Switzerland but had eventually been the cause for them to fight.

"I need time. I'm not sending you away" Bella had turned to look then but Edward was already on his way out of the door his hand braced on the doorframe as he stopped when she'd started to talk again.

"I love you Bella" Edward said before he vanished from his position in the doorway and then Bella broke down in rough sobs, her body wracking under the assault of her tears as she hiccupped and jerked causing her actual pain. Before Bella could understand what was happening she felt the cool embrace of slim hard arms around her shoulders rubbing her back comfortingly, she'd for a moment thought Edward had returned but found Jasper there soothing her in a way she'd never expected of him.

"Everything's going to be alright sweetheart. You just cry it'll make you feel better" Jasper tried his best to sooth her, while he'd wanted to follow behind Edward he knew right now Edward needed to be alone. Alice may have even followed he knew the two had a very close friendship not even with his ability would he be able to comfort Edward the way his Alice could.

"The pack wants Edward dead don't they?" Bella said in a shaking breath trying to get her words out as Jasper continued rubbing her back. She knew that Jasper wasn't one to shield her from the truth when she asked a question. He'd been more then honest about his life before he'd been one of the Cullen's, about his creator and the newborn army he'd been part of fighting in the south over land and blood.

"I don't want to lie to you Bella. Things have gone bad. Edward wasn't only attacked by Jake when he crossed into the reservation. He had to kill Paul too, he crippled Embry before he could safely get you to Carlisle" Bella hiccupped around her tears as she listened to Jasper. She knew that things were never going to be able to return to the way they had been before.

"The pack are angry. They wanted Carlisle to give Edward to them but he wouldn't. We called in the Denali coven to come help us should a fight begin. They were attacked by the pack. They lost a member of their family and were very badly injured. We almost lost them all. Both sides have lost people now, Edward has done what he's needed too so he could protect you and our family. I don't want you angry with him even though I know you'll feel it because they were your friends. Emmet and I had to stop one of the wolves. Eleazer did too. Edward took... he needed to make them retreat so he took care of Leah" Bella whimpered at the name, Sue's daughter, Charlie's budding romance and the love of her life would be the reason for people she cared about pain.

"Things are real bad Bella. We're at war now. Both Billy and Sam have made threats against not just Edward but your life too because what you mean to him. I don't want to be harsh but... it's time for you to finally accept that your one of us now. We can't have you sitting on the fence. Not when they want to kill our family" Jasper said tilting Bella's chin up to look him in the eyes as she cried. He hoped by addressing this with her now it would save her being shocked at the news should Edward have to talk to her about it. Edward would doubt himself the more Bella reacted badly to him, the family couldn't risk having people not standing as a whole untied and together and that meant Bella too.

"I wish I was strong. Wish I could pretend it didn't hurt. I'm so confused. I'm angry at so many different people myself included. I didn't mean to upset Edward" Bella said shaking her head as Jasper leant back slightly releasing her from his hold as she lay back into her hospital bed.

"You'll get through this. We're going to have to face some dark times. So if you need space take it to work it out in your own head. Just try and go easy on him. He can't be made to feel guilty for doing what you yourself would have done if the roles were reversed" Bella nodded as she wiped her cheek she knew Jasper was right even if her mind didn't want to completely understand it yet.

"We're vampire's Bella. You've seen what Victoria is doing to avenge her mate. Not a single one of us are different when it comes to our mates even us animal drinkers. One day you'll understand it a little more intimately once Edward makes you one of us" Bella grew silent then because honestly for the first time she wasn't completely sure if she was ready or mature enough to be changed. She wasn't sure if their love would even survive this after everything that had happened and would continue to happen. She loved him, so much even now when she knew he'd killed so many of her friends.

She loved him still knowing he'd kill more.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N Hey everyone, okay so first I'm going to address a few of my readers who have reviewed and messaged me about my warning about Character Deaths in my story. While I hope all of you stick around for my story I can understand that some of you simply don't want to read about your favourite Character's dying. While I know many of you want to know who is going to live and die I just don't want to reveal that yet, the entire reason is to hopefully create suspense. If I told you now who lives and dies it might not be as impactful in the story if you wait knowing its coming. I want you all to be overjoyed if a character manages to survive or sad when one doesn't. I can only say that this is a story centred around the pack fighting the Cullen's, Newborns fighting the Cullen's and potential more threats as the story goes on. I can't make any promises that all the Cullen's will survive. If you feel you can't continue I will both be saddened by that but understand. I'm on chapter Seventeen of my writing as of right now and I can safely say that hard times are all around now in my writing. War isn't something glorious, both sides suffer and in the end I don't think anyone truly walks away happy at the end of it. I just hope that there is enough in the story that you can enjoy those lighter moments and bear with me in the harder ones. Thank you all for being so invested and already caring for the character's that I'm trying to keep somewhat true to the books but also place my own spin on. You've been a great audience to keep me writing for.**

 **I would just like to make another note, unfortunately I haven't heard from my Beta and I'm unsure if she will want to work on the story. I'm very grateful for all her hard work but I may need to find a new Beta. So if anyone out there is an experienced Beta and is willing to deal with my constant pestering to help me update faster for you guys shoot me a PM.**

 **RED DAWN**

 **SUMMARY:** Edward had always warned Bella that the pack were dangerous. Hostile, volatile and aggressive in nature. She ignored him, testing even Edward's own vampire instinct by staying friends with his enemy, Jacob. One event will change them all, Bella never truly understood the supernatural world. Didn't understand the aggression that lay dormant even in her controlled mate until it was too late. Warning: Violence and Character death.

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the Characters.**

* * *

 **Chapter Seven**

Edward had all but forgotten about any human near him when he'd gone to leave Bella's hospital room. He'd needed to get away so quickly he'd ran at full speed through the hospital. It had sent up a wind through the corridors. He'd been fortunate that he'd barely been a blur that no one noticed properly, seeing anything unusual other then papers being swept up behind the strange gust of wind. Edward had only stopped once he'd submerged himself into the thick trees around the hospital, far enough away to be a distance from her but close enough that he'd be near should she need him. He felt hollow. Felt like he'd been hit in his chest with something more infinitely powerful then even the few times Emmet had slammed into him during play fighting. It was almost exactly in key with how he'd felt in brazil, hiding in that attic starving himself wishing that death would come for him, that just something would come to stop the pain. He'd missed her so much, he'd needed to leave to keep her safe and yet he felt like he wasn't even a person without her. Tried so hard to hunt down Victoria of course he'd been no use tracking her in the state he'd been.

She'd pulled away from his touch, after so much that she knew about him and the ways he'd failed her she'd never once turned him away in such a way and then she'd pulled her hands away and he'd felt so much. He'd felt heartbroken that she'd reject him and then the anger. It was like he was waging a battle inside his very soul on what to feel and he didn't understand it for a moment. He wanted to just hold her in his arms, to kiss her and tell her everything was going to be okay but the more she spoke. The more she mentioned the dog the harder it became to keep in control. Words like accident and then when she'd all but said he'd never hurt her, lines she tied to him, lines that even he was seeing now he'd failed at. He'd killed her friends, he'd killed the boy who had been her everything when he'd gone, all this time he'd been so sure she loved him and only him. Suddenly the sickening feeling that perhaps that stupid manipulative mutt had been right, had there been something there between them. Was this why she was going to send him away now, she said she wasn't but he couldn't believe that. If she sent him away now after everything he'd done, it be for nothing.

He'd have killed for nothing and put his family in harm's way for no reason.

He'd be alone, he'd lose her and he'd be forced to stick to his promise because he'd vowed never to break his promise to her once he'd retuned. He'd sworn to her he'd stay by her side as long as she wanted him, the pain at the possibility of Bella never wanting him made him dry heave roughly as he gripped onto the tree.

The bark crumbled under his touch, yielding and groaning until the chunk fell away from the tree bark the large hand print where his fingers had all but gorged through. It only fuelled as a reminder of his destructive ways. Edward growled out in his own pain, the need to break something to make the pain that was tearing up at his own insides needing a visible and actual wound. He'd tear his own dead heart from his chest to show her how completely she owned him, he'd been a fool to send Carlisle out and he should have allowed Jasper the use of his gift from the very beginning. Bella still disorientated and weak and he'd blown up at her like a maniac he'd known she'd assume the best in all people. She saw the good in people and refused more often than not to see the bad. Now he'd just given her front row seat to sinister parts of him, now he'd be left waiting to know if he'd ever be able to fix what had been broken since he left her. They had been so happy before the night of the paper cut. He'd naively believed that they truly could be normal, even Bella had started treating him like he was no different than any other boy in love with his girlfriend.

Edward brushed away the shards of wood from his hands moving his long fingers into his hair and moaning out like a wounded animal as he tried to think of a way to fix this. What if she could never forgive him? How could he even begin to earn her forgiveness when the things he'd done he didn't regret or feel sorry for? He'd felt more remorse for taking the lives of criminals when he'd fed from human's then he had killing those dogs.

"She'll never forgive me" Edward pressed the heel of his palms into his eyes his shoulders trembling with the dry crying.

It was a strange and pitiful sight to see his body jerking as if he was crying like any human but he made no sound and his eyes never watered. Had he been human he'd be no different than Bella had been sobbing tears covering his face, Edward wasn't human though and he never would be not matter how much easier things would have been if he'd simply been just an average teenage boy.

"I don't need my visions to know that's not true Edward" Alice said gently.

She had stayed a distance away not wanting to get too close while he'd been trying to reign in his own feelings. It was becoming evident to all of Edward's family that the more instinctual side of Edward was being allowed for the first time in his long existence to simply just be part of him. For once not so tied down and restrained he was acting more human in their eyes at least or more like a vampire then they had ever seen. Finally seeming more alive than simply just existing in this second life he'd been given. He was showing emotions, the only concern they had though now was how to help him best understand it all without his constant need for lashing out. He'd unlocked his monster accepted that he was both man and monster now he simply had to find a balance. A balance they had to hope he could find and work with that didn't change him too drastically from the man they knew.

"You didn't see the way she couldn't even look at me. She pulled away from my touch, in all our time together she's never feared me but I knew in that moment she saw me for what I am" Edward kept his back to his sister his shoulders tense but his entire appearance screamed defeat. While he'd been slowly becoming this much more aggressive confident vampire one moment believing Bella no longer wanted him had reduced him to a similar state that he'd been during his time away from her.

"She saw you for a killer" Alice said in agreement but not in the way Edward would have expected of his sister.

"It's about time too. Bella and you have both wanted to pretend that you can run off into the sunset and live happily ever after like this is some fairytale. We're vampire's Edward. We resist the urge to kill every day, every second around human's we go against our very nature. You've always been a killer, always been a man who could kill. You have killed but you've never had a reason to kill for something. Those with the most to lose have to do the most to keep it Edward. We've been biding out time waiting for something to come. We always assumed it would be the Volturi but it isn't. It's Victoria, it's the pack, and it's the Volturi too. They want to take from us what we have" Alice said firmly, she'd taken Edward's word to each of them seriously she could see he'd been smart to see that he'd falter.

He'd asked them all to make sure he stood firm in what they had wanted, to stand firm even when he knew Bella may ask him to surrender and she knew right now he'd give up everything just to make her pain less. Even if it meant his own end, she needed to make him see that with time Bella would understand but to have time they had to survive against those who wanted them dead.

"Answer me this Edward. What is it that has you feeling so ashamed is it that you've killed or that Bella finally knows you've killed? You've told her you've killed but you've never really explained it too her. We all call it your rebellious period when you separated from the family but does Bella understand?" Alice asked and she knew that she was treading a fine line, while it had been true Edward had returned full of shame and guilt it hadn't been for the reason most had assumed it had been a dark secret Edward had only revealed to her.

His fear that he was becoming too judging that he was becoming too thrilled by his power, and how eventually taking even those who simply thought evil thoughts was enough of a crime to kill them for it. He'd seen it in himself and had enough control to flee to Carlisle and the family and force himself into submission to feed from animals.

"I killed criminals" Edward said his nostrils flared.

"You didn't just kill criminals Edward you decimated them. You single handed wiped out hundreds, thousands even of men and woman who did wrong in your eyes. Had you not returned when you had the Volturi would have come for you. You didn't just feed off criminals you killed them simply because you could, because in your eyes they were wrong and they deserved to die. It's always scared you knowing that you can know the innocent from the guilty. None of us have ever held that against you because we know it's your burden to bear. Just like Aro can see the rule breakers from the innocent you aren't any different Edward" Aro and Edward's abilities while very different were both also the same, being able to know someone's thoughts made you one of the only people who could truly judge them on their character and actions they'd taken.

You could know the motives behind actions, couldn't be lied to or manipulated by others. Mind readers could literally see the very depth of a person's soul.

"I'm nothing like Aro" Edward snarled angrily turning to face Alice.

"You aren't, while he's used his power to give him only more power you've tried to reject what you can do. You've never tried to allow it to develop even though we all know as the years have gone by you've only been able to hear the thoughts further and further out. Kate's proved that some of our kind's abilities can develop more, yours has even while you've tried to ignore it." Edward shook his head glaring at Alice, even though what she said was true he'd always treated his gift as a curse because of the dark world that he lived in.

The world of the mind had showed Edward only darkness even in the humans he resisted from hunting by keeping to his animal blood diet had so many darker shades then anyone would believe.

"What does this have to do with what's happening Alice. What does Aro and the Volturi have to do with Bella never being able to forgive me" Edward shouted at her.

"Because we need you. Carlisle is a wonderful man and father. He's the best of our kind but he can't lead us anymore. You may hate Aro but there is a reason why he desires you so much even with knowing of my gift he would sooner have you then me. We need you to lead. You standing out here doubting yourself, readying yourself to give up because your overreacting to Bella will get us all killed" Alice yelled right back at her stubborn overdramatic brother.

"She's all I care about. I don't want anything if I can't have her" Edward roared back at her, not a single hesitation behind his honesty. He'd turn even his family away to have Bella, he had always known he was selfish enough to do so.

"Then stop hiding who and what you are. You're so scared of her reaction you've hidden parts of you that she should know. Stop doubting her love when you know she's your mate. Do any of us love our mates less for what they've done? Do I love Jasper less for the countless lives he's taken? Does Emmet love Rose less in spite of her issues with this life? Do you love Bella less even though she betrayed you and went to La Push?" Alice challenged strongly trying to make her brother see both that he needed to be stronger for the family to live through what was coming and that he needed to have faith in Bella too. She was human but she was also his mate and if there was one thing that all of their kind knew that the mating bond was everlasting, it was unconditional.

"I just wanted..." Edward sighed looking down feeling the defeat sit heavily over his chest he was confused by not only what Alice was saying but her thoughts too.

She'd all but compared him to Aro, a man he'd viewed in his own mind as a power hungry tyrant that only desired to posses all those gifted in the world. He had to admit though that for a time in his life Edward had acted against the humans in a way that resembled Aro, he'd judged and executed as he saw fit. Not only to feed his hunger but simply because no one else would, he'd taken to the streets all across the globe ending the lives of evil doers believing he was created for the purpose. Just like Aro believed himself created to rule over the vampire kind. Was it really possible that mind readers were destined to eventually be corrupted to the power to see inside of others? Or had that simply been Aro's fate. Would it someday become his own? Carlisle had always believed that Aro had been right in his beliefs that the vampire's needed ruling over and in many respects Edward could understand that too. The quote running through Edward's mind on a loop, _that power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely_.

"All you've ever wanted is to be human. In that respect you and Rose are the same" Alice moved towards Edward placing a hand on his cheek softly, tenderly.

"You've been alone and bitter for so long and you have Bella now. Even then you didn't feel worthy, that shows you're a better man then Aro. Aro never would have believed himself unworthy of anyone or anything that he wanted. I can't see much now, our lives are too entwined with the pack and too many choices are being made. We've got the pack and Victoria to handle but we both stood in that throne room in Volterra Edward. We both know Aro will come one day, he'll expect you to be no different still doubting, still hating silently. Bella will forgive you she'll love you even when she feels like she shouldn't. The second you left I saw a glimpse of her already calling you back. I'm not asking you to put the family ahead of your mate. You're a leader now, you stood against Billy and Sam and Carlisle stood at your side letting you lead. It's time you accept who you are, Carlisle will always be our father but it's time you take the position someone of your power was always destined to have" Edward shook his head still feeling wrong but knowing in many respects he'd already done it, hadn't he all but told Carlisle to leave if he couldn't handle it.

He'd been giving orders to his family from the moment he'd come back to them with Bella's injured body. Even when he'd realised he'd embraced his darker side and seen that he'd need to be a man he'd wanted to still stand behind Carlisle, in his mind. He couldn't now, his family needed him to stay firm or they'd die, Bella was the love of his existence. She'd not sent him away even though she'd hurt him by asking for time she'd clearly expressed she wasn't sending him away. Even as he'd screamed and shouted at her like a damn madman she'd not asked him to leave, she'd never said she'd hated him or called him a monster. She'd not sent him away even as he'd admitted to killing her friend, even in her shock and pain she'd not sent him away. Only asked for time.

"Thank you Alice" Edward said reaching up to squeeze her shoulder softly as she moved back away from him, shrugging nonchalantly like she hadn't just talked him off a ledge.

He still wasn't in complete agreement with some of her theories, he also didn't want to ever accept the possibility that he and Aro were ever to be one in the same. He respected that she believed he was the right one too lead the family though, even if it went against everything he'd believed because he loved Carlisle.

"We all need a wakeup call now and then" Alice said playfully with a grin, the heavy tension suddenly dissipating as if Jasper had been with them.

"You aren't always right. You have a horrible tendency to over react and over think, you'll learn. I've seen many visions of our future during my existence. I've always told you that my first vision was of Jasper and my second of you and the family. I never told you this because I didn't want to change anything. The vision was of you because you were the leader. I didn't see it at first you were so isolated and sad I couldn't relate the two versions of you. The one in my visions, and the one in front of my very eyes. We'll all stand by you, so will Carlisle even though he hates the idea of taking anyone's life from them. You'll be a good leader to our family. Bella was the final piece though I've known that since the day you walked into biology class. She'll always be the one to balance those darker parts of you, she'll learn too" Alice said seriously again as Edward watched in her mind the vision she'd seen in the first days when she'd awoken to this world completely blank to this world.

She'd seen the love she'd have with Jasper and then she'd seen Edward standing with his family but there was something so fundamentally different in that vision then he'd ever seen himself before. He looked relaxed, unburdened and truly happy as if part of him was literally glowing and his family looked to him with that same happiness reflected on his face.

"I'm still not sure if I completely agree. I know I can't doubt myself now...even with Bella upset. We can't undo what's been done and they'd come for us even if we didn't strike first. She'll forgive me?" Edward looked at Alice hopeful and almost boyish in his concern that Bella may not be able to look past it.

"Of course she will. She'd have to be blind not to see even in the evil we do we've done it for our family. You killed to protect her, you've also agreed to give her the one thing she's always wanted" Edward looked at her confused as she shook her head rolling her eyes at him.

"You've given her clear proof of your love Edward. You've agreed to change her without her needing to even try and force you into it. I don't think you've ever seen how desperate she's been to know that you want her forever" Edward nodded then smiling slightly at Alice because he had, he'd put aside his foolish insecurities and fears for her soul so that he could keep her forever.

Edward loved her, Bella loved him, they were mates and that was a bond that couldn't be broken Edward realised. Not even by bloody hands, and the sins of his past.

"I'm still nothing like Aro" Edward said as Alice giggled at him, slipping her arm into the fold of his elbow pulling him along with her.

Edward would still fear Bella's rejection of him. That couldn't simply be forced away but he knew that they were mates, he'd never heard of any mates separating other then through death. He had to have faith in their love and that Bella with enough time would see that there had been no choice, he'd had to save her and to save her there had been deaths. He'd started a war with the help of a foolish boy with anger issues and now he'd have to kill to protect everything he held dear. He'd need to be the leader Alice had always believed he'd become. It was time to grow up and start to believe in himself.

Bella had tried her best to get control of her crying around Jasper and then had seen Esme and Carlisle, seeing both of them had of course resulted in more tears. Esme had been perfect as she'd taken up the seat Edward had previously held taking her hand and holding it tenderly as then Bella listened to everything that had happened during the two days since her accident. They'd explained how Edward had come to the Cullen home cradling her in his arms her blood covering him as he'd come to Carlisle screaming his name for help. She'd listened as they'd not left out a single bit of information. Edward's anger that she'd gone against her word and his own anger that the pack had even dare come between them when she'd needed him. Carlisle had explained the phone call from Old Quil and his choice between being at war or letting them have Edward. Carlisle seeing if they could somehow have peace but Edward's life would be forfeit.

Then she had to listen even carefully as Carlisle had explained what Edward had found in Billy Black's mind when Sam and he and confronted the Cullen's in the hospital car park. The pack had been covering up accidents since the beginning. In Billy's anger and mourning he'd revealed the darker side that even Bella was shocked to find out about.

Jake being a killer.

When he'd been so cruel about the Cullen's being monster and he'd hurt people with his own anger, she'd not been the first. She found out the truth about Harry Clearwater and Leah and how it had been his own daughter who had caused her father's death. She'd always known the pack to be far too proud and prejudice against outsiders. They despised the Cullen's completely even though they hadn't done anything wrong, and didn't drink from humans. The pack had broken their own vow to protect human life and they'd not cared if they were hypocrites.

Billy had even outright made it clear he'd wanted Bella to pay alongside Edward for what had happened to Jake. Her father's best friend didn't care that his son had almost killed his friend's daughter as long as Jake was okay. Bella had felt so much anger hearing each part of it, anger that they'd dare to speak so horribly of every member of the Cullen family. Found it almost intolerable that she'd been a stupid fool and not stood to defend them more. She felt like an idiot that she hadn't even known the person she'd considered her best friend, all while she listened to the damning story of the pack the words Edward had spoken to her about her friendship came back to her.

Edward had told her cruelly and harshly that Jake had never been her friend. They always said that the truth often hurt the most, and the reality was that Edward would know Jake's own mind better than anyone else. For all the times Jake had accused Edward of brainwashing her she'd been the only one safe to hide secrets from Edward, she'd abused that with her constant going to La Push. It had been Jake though who had been trying to brain wash her, make her believe his own lies, he'd wanted her to see the monster in the Cullen's and in the end she'd been the victim to his type of monster.

Edward had known all along, he'd seen every single twisted and warped lie Jake had tried to spin, he'd known from the very beginning that Jake's motives were never of friendship. She'd believed Jake to be innocent, a friend who had held her together when she'd felt broken. She'd used him to find ways to see her illusions of Edward and then felt guilty when he'd ended up hurt. Both Jake and she had lied to each other and been deceitful but she'd have never begrudged him his happiness had he found it, she'd hoped for it wanted him to be happy. Jake had hated her happiness though, he'd known what happened to her when Edward was gone he'd seen the result of the absence and yet he'd still wanted to take Edward away from her.

He'd have killed her soul mate and hoped she'd somehow be his, he was delusional because had he killed Edward she'd have ceased to exist there was no Bella without Edward.

Bella realised the truth in her own mind then as she sat there, there was no life without Edward even when he'd done things she believed wrong. Bella wouldn't live without him, she knew he could drink from humans and she'd still love him hadn't she told him when she'd found out what he was that it didn't matter.

It still didn't.

It mattered though, what Jake had done. He was her friend and he'd hurt her, but she'd have forgiven that. She wouldn't forgive him trying to take her happiness from her though. Bella couldn't live in a world without Edward but she could live without Jacob. It felt cruel and wrong to think that when her best friend had only died days ago but she felt the truth in her own thoughts. Jake died because he was a selfish delusional fool who thought if he could keep Bella even if he killed the man she loved. Edward had killed the man who risked all that both of them had wanted. She'd hurt him by keeping the friendship, she'd hurt him with her lies and hurt him again when he'd needed her to tell him it was okay. Edward loved her and because of that love the entire world was closing in on them. Victoria wanted her dead and had created an army to take Edward's happiness away. The pack wanted to do the same to her now and take Edward and her family.

Bella had tried to force two natural enemies to work together and accept each other, all while knowing one day she'd be one of them so her life would transition easier. It was selfish but even she saw the motives behind her own desires, Edward had accused her of keeping options ready for when she didn't get what she wanted. In some respects he'd been right. Even though Edward had returned he'd still not wanted to change her. Even when they'd voted for it to happen amongst his family he'd tried to compromise to gain more time with her human, in Bella's eyes it gave him more chance to leave her again. So she'd kept Jake in her life. She'd not trusted Edward so she'd flaunted the presence of another who made his desire all too clear, she'd punished him, she'd pushed him to the brink of his own sanity with her friendship with Jake. Now people were dead and more were going to die. She might as well have broken the treaty herself, she couldn't have been more involved in its demise had she tried.

Bella knew then that the fault for this belonged on her own shoulders. Not Edward's, but her own.

"We'll stick together" Bella had finally spoken allowed once Carlisle and Jasper were finished explaining it all to her, even the aspects of covering it up.

She knew the story that needed to be told and while Carlisle had advised Bella in playing the lack of memory card in her own part of the story; she knew she'd have to once again lie to her father. It was something she'd accept, something she'd have complained about before. Now it seemed pointless now. She'd wanted to be part of the family completely and now she'd been completely brought into it.

"What about the Denali's?" Bella had asked knowing that they'd come and that it hadn't ended well, that the pack had attacked them when they'd arrived in the area.

That Edward had taken Leah's life to hurt Sam and force the men to retreat. It still twisted and churned her gut, making Bella want to be sick. She wished that she could be stronger, she continued to whisper in her mind she could bear it as long as it wasn't Edward. The world could all die one at a time if she had Edward. It scared Bella more then she'd ever understand. She'd let everyone around her fall to keep Edward, it seemed so selfish that she'd place her love for him above everything and everyone else no matter the consequences.

"We'll explain what happened with the Denali coven. I'm sure you'll meet them soon enough but for now its best we tell you what you need to know. You should know this though Edward would want you to know. Sam has threatened your life after what Edward did he made it clear he'd harm you" Bella nodded looking at Jasper wide eyed as Esme stroked the back of Bella's hand her heartbeat had raised and all had heard that, Bella was scared.

"We'll all protect you" Esme said softly.

"Right now... Right now you have a very powerful mate who the pack fears, Sam will not be fool enough to try and take the only thing that keeps Edward somewhat restrained" Esme said honestly and even Bella was surprised by the way Esme spoke.

While it had been clear that Carlisle was very much against many of the things that had happened, Esme didn't seem nearly as conflicted by these things. The pack that had always been so arrogant and sure of what they could do had bragged about being able to kill them because they'd been born to, feared her mate. Edward made them scared and Bella couldn't help the excited thrill that shot through her, it seemed even now in her confusion the mating link was strengthening for her as it was for Edward. She felt embarrassed when she saw the knowing smile on Jasper's face. Jasper had been a pleasant surprise when Edward had left he'd been comforting and brotherly in a way she'd not expected, things had been strained since his almost slip on her birthday. Hopefully with time she'd be able to fix that.

"Is Edward safe out there? I've... he was upset we...I don't want him to get hurt" Bella stuttered over her words feeling herself getting emotional again.

"Edward's close by. Alice is with him. He's been ready to blow up ever since Alice saw your future go black" Bella nodded at what Jasper said, it seemed that there had been an argument coming between them even before Jake had harmed her.

"She'll talk him down. He'll give you time Bella. I have to insist though that you let us still watch over you. You are our most vulnerable member and I don't trust the pack not to use you as a leveraging chip against Edward. We've all come to see the ends that Edward will go to have you safe now and none of us wish to see it up close" Jasper continued and while Carlisle looked visibly ill at that he nodded in agreement.

Bella felt and believed that Carlisle may be the only one who truly felt anything close to her in how conflicted she was over what was happening. Her family and friends were at war and they'd kill each other before it was over, she had to make the choice on what was more tolerable. Then again there was no choice as she'd already known, Edward. Edward was always the choice she'd make, a hundred deaths and wars wouldn't change that, Edward was all she'd never realised she'd truly wanted. She'd been given Edward early in her life, he'd waited a century, and they wouldn't let anything come between them. Esme pulled her phone from her jacket as it beeped loudly then turned to smile at Bella and show her the phone.

"Your mother has just arrived with Rose and Emmet. We'll give you some time to get yourself in order. Charlie should be arriving soon too, they've both be very worried about you" Esme leant towards Bella kissing her cheek softly as Bella slipped her arm around Esme to hug her back.

Jasper exited the room with Esme, while Carlisle decided to stay behind explaining to his family members that he was confident that both Renee and Charlie would want to know that everything was okay. She couldn't help the nagging feeling that this wasn't the only reason for why Carlisle wanted to stay close to Bella though, as he looked at her strangely. Neither questioned him though as Carlisle moved around the bedside and took Bella's hand and looking into her eyes with a sad glint in his eyes.

"I'm sure you're very confused on what to feel with everything that has happened. I know you were close to members in the pack, I'm sorry for the loss of your friends" Carlisle said sincerely, he seemed just as torn up over the loss of members of the pack though even though they'd treated him with nothing but disrespect.

"I wish there was a peaceful resolution and I would certainly try to fix this if I knew that it could be done. I fear that we'll loss more than simple lives if this continues. I've tried talking with Old Quil as a way to try and find a more peaceful resolution. I've lived for so long to try and keep my family from making these choices but it seems in the end we can't run from our natures" Bella was surprised to see Carlisle so defeated and she wasn't sure why he was coming to her to speak about it, she was trying to strengthen her resolve and find it in herself to stand behind Edward and the family's choice and it seemed Carlisle was trying to make her doubt herself.

"They'd kill our family though. They'd sooner Edward die then ever let this go" Bella said finding that her words were confident, even though she was conflicted inside her own emotions confusing her not wanting anyone to be hurt or killed she knew that the pack would never be able to move past this. That Edward would never be safe, that she'd never be safe now.

"I'd hoped you'd see things the way I see them" Carlisle let go of her hand and she had the distinct feeling she'd somehow just failed some test with her answer and she couldn't honestly understand it. Carlisle was reacting strangely, this wasn't the man she'd known all along she wasn't sure what was wrong with him.

"I would give anything for people not to be hurt Carlisle. If I could think of a way to turn back the clock and never go to La Push I would do that so people didn't die and that Edward wasn't in danger. I can't though and I don't believe the pack will be able to forgive. Not everyone is as good a person as you Carlisle, not as compassionate as you are" Bella said sadly knowing the truth in what she was saying.

Edward had often told her how rare truly good people were. He'd considered Carlisle one of the best, he'd even said if any of the vampire kind had a soul he'd believe Carlisle one of them even though he'd never believed he himself had one. Carlisle had always been intended to be a healer never someone who took life, even from the beginning of his vampire existence.

Bella had thought that Carlisle would reply but instead he remained silent but evidently just as conflicted as her, she'd never realised the burden of the heightened feelings the Cullen's must feel. She'd always seen becoming a vampire as some type of gift to keep her immortal so she could be with Edward. He'd tried to explain all the hardships that came with it, but in her naivety she had wanted to brush it aside. She still wanted to be with Edward forever. It was however time she started acting maturely, and she couldn't keep treating this with rose tinted glasses. Even now something she'd once considered a gift that Carlisle was compassionate seemed a burden for him as he sat there in clear discomfort over what his family must do to protect themselves. Even when they were threatened by an enemy, his compassion spread to even them. Bella wasn't sure the pack deserved Carlisle's compassion though. Finally listening to the warnings given instead of believing the good in people, they'd covered up murders all while calling the Cullen family killers.

Just as Bella had begun to try and ease Carlisle concern or at least try, her mother had rushed into the doorway. Renee looked like she'd cried the entire way from Jacksonville, her eyes red and puffy. Bella had seen her mother and felt her own tears come then because she felt it was safe to just let her emotions out around her mother. She felt like a little girl again scared of the big bad world.

"My poor baby" Renee had rushed to Bella then wrapping her arms around Bella tightly and held Bella to her chest as she stroked her hair back as both woman cried into each other. Renee kissing at the top of her daughters hair and eventually they were left alone as Renee sat on the hospital bed cradling Bella to her chest caring for her injured daughter.

"It's okay Bella, mommy's here and she's not going anywhere" Renee tried to sooth her even in spite of her own upset, the sight of her daughter injured while wasn't new to her, had never been this bad. The two sat there holding each other on the hospital bed and then were finally interrupted by Charlie the rest of the Cullen family had left them to have time together knowing that with everything Bella had gone through she'd need her parents now more than anything they could offer to help her.

"Hey Bells. It's good to see you awake" Charlie said smiling with his watery eyes as Bella smiled at her father crying a little as she reached her hand out to him while she'd never usually been one for affection she felt needy for it now.

"I'm so sorry dad" Bella cried out unable to help the guilt she felt, his friends had lost children the woman he was seeing had lost a daughter and she didn't even know if he was aware of it. She felt so guilty for the pain her father would feel for everything that was happening and would continue to happen.

"Now Bella you don't have a thing to say sorry to me for" Charlie took her hand moving to her other side and kissing her forehead, she felt the tickle of his moustache against her forehead and smiled remembering times as a younger child and feeling that sensation when she was her father's little girl.

"He's right you have nothing to be sorry for sweet girl" Renee said shushing Bella from arguing as she leant back cupping her cheeks doing her best not to touch where the stitching was and her eyes tearing more.

"It's nothing, your still just as beautiful as you always were" Renee said matter of fact then turning to Charlie.

"That animal that did this I hope it's found and killed" Renee said with an anger that left Charlie speechless but it only upset Bella more, the animal that Renee was referring to was already dead. But he wasn't just an animal he'd been her friend Jake too. Or at least she'd used to believe they'd been friends.

"We should maybe talk about this later" Charlie said clearly trying to hide something but Bella was pretty sure she already knew that he was trying to conceal what had happened to the rest of them, those she'd supposedly been with when the animal attack had happened.

"I already... I know dad" Bella said inhaling deeply trying to calm her breathing as Charlie swallowed roughly nodding and looking away a little. She knew he'd be upset, but he wasn't one to openly show an emotion that was just the way Charlie was.

"I'm sorry Bells I knew you were close to..." Charlie pinched the bridge of his nose something she'd never seen him do before but it reminded her of Edward's own quirk when he was frustrated or upset, seeing her father do it only made her miss him more.

"I'm sorry too dad" Bella swallowed against the lump in her throat.

"We should have stayed away from the forest. It was so stupid, we'd heard about the animal attacks on hikers" Bella added to the lie helping to tell her own side, no one but those in the know would ever know the truth about what had happened that night. That Jake had attacked her and that Edward had killed him for it to save her.

"It doesn't matter now Bella I'm just so glad your okay" Charlie took her hand holding it in his rougher hand as Bella sat there between both her parents.

"Thank god Edward found you. That you got hold of him on that cell he bought you and that he and his brothers got to you in time" Charlie said with clear relief and gratitude.

"Where is Edward? I'd have thought he'd be here he's not left your side for barely a moment since he found you?" Charlie asked confused, Bella only feeling weaker in her need to have time to herself at her father's words. Of course he'd been there every moment, her ever loving and protective mate would have stayed by her side without complaint always, he deserved better than her mourning over his enemy.

"He's not slept or eaten. He's upset; I hurt his feelings by sneaking off to visit..." Bella couldn't even get his name out now but felt a weight off her chest at being able to tell at least some truth, she knew Edward was upset with her angry even, he had every right to feel that way too. She knew that.

"Don't worry Bella I'm sure he'll be fine. Probably just overwhelmed, Edward loves you this won't be anything you two can't get past" Bella looked at her father wide eyed at what he'd said but Bella could even see that Renee was now looking at Charlie strangely from what he'd said. In what world did Charlie get Edward's name right and hope for Edward and Bella to be able to work things out without saying it was Edward's fault to begin with.

"What?" Charlie asked.

Then his face turned a pinkish shade as he blushed as both Renee and Bella giggled at the way Charlie had reacted. Bella couldn't help but feel relieved though because as it felt like the supernatural part of her world was all but falling apart. Her human life, her parents hadn't changed at all. If anything it seemed that somehow in this horrible situation it had made things better, Bella hugged Charlie tightly ignoring the pain as she tried to hide her wincing as she held her father tight. She knew there had to be a story behind Charlie's change of heart about Edward and she believed that it be a story she actually wanted to hear, for all the things that had changed in her life since she'd woken up at least this was one good thing.

Charlie didn't hate Edward anymore.

Now she just had to make sure Edward didn't hate her for all of her mistakes.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N Hey everyone, I've had a really busy last couple of days and it seems like I'm going to have a busy couple of weeks which is really frustrating when I'm trying to write as much as I can. I'm still getting along okay though and while I might not be getting lots of chapters to you I'm still going to get them as soon as they are ready. I can tell you all now that I've found a new Beta, _Tricia2475_ while she didn't get to Beta this one (sorry for all my mistakes guys) will be my Beta from here on and I'm sure you'll all be very grateful to her cleaning up some of the messes I miss with the writing. Anyway I'm glad that many of you read the authors note I left about the character death warning and many of you have replied in PM's to me when you've decided to leave. I respected that some don't want to see death in fanfiction. For those of you though who have chosen to stick with me I'd really just like to say thank you too all of you, it's incredible how many of you have responded to this story and have shown so early on great support in the story I'm writing. It always makes writing easier knowing I've got a bunch of amazing readers waiting. So here you guys go, enjoy and let me know what you think.**

 **RED DAWN**

 **SUMMARY:** Edward had always warned Bella that the pack were dangerous. Hostile, volatile and aggressive in nature. She ignored him, testing even Edward's own vampire instinct by staying friends with his enemy, Jacob. One event will change them all, Bella never truly understood the supernatural world. Didn't understand the aggression that lay dormant even in her controlled mate until it was too late. Warning: Violence and Character death.

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the Characters.**

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 **Chapter Eight**

It had been two days since Bella had seen Edward.

She'd come to regret ever asking him for space but had to respect that he'd given her exactly what she'd asked for. Even when her heart and head tried to fight over what was right. He hadn't vanished from her life completely he'd been on the edges of her days during the two days since she'd woken in hospital. Carlisle had wanted to keep Bella for a little longer then she'd wished but she'd not had the energy to argue being discharged especially when everyone she cared about were still very worried about her.

She'd been lucky she'd come to find out.

Had the wounds been a little deeper or a little more to the left, if she'd been left just a few seconds longer she'd not be here right now and that had been worrying. She'd been close to deathly situations before but never one caused by someone she'd trusted. Even when Jasper had lunged for her on her birthday due to the paper cut, she'd never worried somehow knowing Edward would come between them. This had been different, this had been a close call that could have resulted in everything going to ruin. Not that some parts of her life and the other's around her hadn't already. She'd seen glimpses of Edward during the times she wasn't too fogy from medication for the pains she was having. Where he'd be talking outside of her room with his family members, his eyes even in her haze still on her. She'd even had a talk with Renee where her mother had pleaded with her to sort out whatever it was that was upsetting them both because she was worried about Edward.

The irony didn't miss Bella, she was in hospital healing from wounds and it seemed her parents were confident she'd be fine now and it was Edward that they were worried over. The same person they'd all but written off not too long ago and given her such a hard time for taking back and welcoming into her life.

"Sometimes when I stay later" Renee whispered. Which Bella felt the urge to be amused at knowing that all of those close by would be able to hear her no matter how she tried to whisper, with the enhanced vampire hearing.

"He's already here. He leaves the second your father or I check in but I caught him last night. I must have caught him off guard because he was just laying his head on the bed holding your hand to his face whispering to you" Renee sighed while Bella felt the all too familiar tightness around her throat and chest.

Missing Edward even more when she thought of him watching over her as she slept, even when she'd asked for time he'd been unable to stay away and it made her want to run to him and have him hold her.

"It's one of the single most beautiful things I've ever seen. Like it was out of a movie Bella. He looked embarrassed when I saw him and he excused himself apologising. Always polite" Renee had giggled that morning. All while Bella had listened and she'd felt a tingle in her fingertips at her mother's story, as if she could still feel his cool smooth flawless skin under her touch still.

She'd wanted to have Renee find him then and tell Edward that she wanted to talk to him. He'd not been around the hospital though, she knew eventually word would get back to him from his family. She'd needed those two days separated from him even if it caused them both pain. She'd been far too confused and hurt to face him without reacting badly. She'd tried to hold strong in what Jasper had said that while Edward was the man she loved he wasn't just a man, they were mates. She'd experienced firsthand the lengths that an immortal would go to too avenge a fallen mate, while Victoria was evil her actions in most vampire's minds were just normal.

All vampires reacted the same to losing their loved one, their mate in this life. First the rage that demanded vengeance for what had been taken from them and then eventually the need for death. Some sort out death instantly like Edward had when he'd believed Bella to have been gone from this world. Then there were those who lived for centuries fuelled on that inner rage who seek to hurt and make as many pay as possible before their end. Bella had also come to the realisation that Edward was also capable of the latter. Edward would cause destruction just as quickly as Victoria was trying to against her family for having her taken from him. He'd almost lost her because of uncontrollable shifters, now he was ready to rid that threat to not only her but himself and his family for good. She'd need to look past what she knew was a more human belief in what happened, she'd wanted to become one of them and now she was. Her family had an enemy and she'd have to stand with them, like Carlisle was even though she knew he hated the very idea of more deaths. She'd forgive Edward anything he did, just like she believed he'd forgive her if the roles had been reversed.

"You ready to go home Bells" Charlie asked as he squeezed her shoulder as she sat in the wheelchair. She'd nervously been fidgeting with the strings of her jumper since she'd sat down in the damn chair that she didn't feel was at all necessary.

"I'm ready dad" Bella sighed even if she wasn't completely sure. Bella felt self conscious of what people would say, never wanting the attention of people on her the thought that now people would stare every time they saw her scarred face. She'd always felt plain, it seemed cruel now that she felt herself ugly from what had been done to her. Found it even harsher that she'd never considered Emily in that regard but viewed herself that way. She'd seen the stitching that covered so much of her body, seen the horrible thick gashes that covered her once blemish free skin. She hated the idea of Edward ever seeing it, that he'd probably seen it at the very worst of the wounds that had been on her.

"Everything is going to be fine sweetie. Carlisle said there's lots of things that can be done" Renee said.

Bella curious if her mother had somehow become a mind reader, though Renee had eagerly pushed the idea of reconstructive surgery. While Bella didn't want to be scarred. She also didn't think her family had the kind of money that would be needed for that type of work done and she really didn't want to spend even more time in a hospital being slowly worked over to make her less, less hard to look at.

"All you have to worry about right now is getting better Bells. Nothing else matters just that you feel better, the rest if you decide comes later" Charlie said giving Renee a look that told her straight away to drop it.

They wouldn't argue about it out in front of Bella but they'd talk about it soon enough they both viewed it differently and both wanted the best for Bella. Renee wanted her to have a normal life in her future, one without scars and people cruelly pointing and staring. All Charlie cared about was that Bella was healthy and happy with herself not what the world thought.

"Where are the Cullen's?" Bella asked surprised not to see them as Charlie pushed her chair out of the room and towards the hospital exit. Moving through the waiting room that had all but been claimed by the Cullen family since Bella had been admitted to the hospital. She'd heard it all from the nurses how the family had refused to leave. They had all but been living there in the waiting room for days.

"Charlie and I thought we'd get you home. Let you rest and get used to the pace of things. We didn't want to overwhelm you. They said they would be close by" Renee explained probably not reading into what that meant at all but Bella knew the Cullen's well enough that if they'd made comment on being close by that would be literally. Bella wouldn't be surprised at all to find that they were still very close just hidden or out of sight to human eyes unless Bella needed them.

"I'm sure you'll hear from Edward soon" Renee said smiling down at Bella as even then she blushed, only one side of her face flushing at the thought. She forgot with the distance how well Renee truly knew her, they'd always been very close even if they hadn't shared the most typical of mother daughter relationships.

"I bet he's really happy that your getting out of there" Renee tacked on as Bella nodded she hoped he'd come to her tonight, the idea that he might not worried her. She hadn't spent a night without him coming to her since he'd come back, even when he needed to hunt he always came to her before and then would arrive while she slept to be with her.

"I hope so. I miss him, I'm glad he's taking care of himself too though. I know if it was up to him he'd forget about himself and just stay by my side" Bella said.

While it was a lie she'd told her parents to explain away his absence in certain times while she'd been in hospital. Bella completely believed that given the choice Edward would much rather worry over Bella then himself. He always thought of her before himself. She hoped wherever he was that he was feeding, she knew the family hadn't been able to with the threats looming and her needing protection she doubted even now all of them would go. She'd learnt about the seriousness of what had happened to the Denali coven, how Eleazer had lost an arm. Tanya too but they'd retrieved it. Kate had been the worst she'd had her head ripped from her body, and had finally woken up completely drained and in serious need of blood. Bella didn't like to think of Irina. The Denali sister she'd never meet now, because the wolves had destroyed her it had been something she'd needed to know though. The pack were clearly just as ready to take lives as her family were, the harsh reality was she'd rather it be the pack then her family. That was why she was ready to have Edward back to apologise and beg for his forgiveness. She was ready to be a true mate and not some weak human imitation of it. They both deserved better.

Bella was happy to climb out of the wheelchair once they reached the hospital exit. Both Charlie and Renee had tried to convince her that there hadn't been a need, but she'd stubbornly stood on shaky legs wanting to leave of her own will. Bella had been happy to take the passenger seat of the cruiser though and had freely laughed at the reaction of Renee's face when Charlie had opened the back door for her mother. Leaving Renee in the back seat of the cruiser, behind the protective cage guard that separated it from the front. Renee had been a good sport with it all though allowing Charlie to make his somewhat sarcastic musings about it not being Renee's first time in the back seat of a police car. It had made Bella happy to see there was no animosity between them, they'd never really interacted throughout Bella's childhood and she'd always just assumed they didn't like each other. Then she'd come to live with Charlie and thought that Charlie had never stopped loving her and Bella still believed that. Still believed that Charlie would welcome Renee back with open arms, if Renee asked him too. Charlie was constant like that even now with his budding romance with Sue he'd always love her mother. Bella knew she was very much like Charlie in that respect constant and predictable.

Bella did notice that her truck wasn't in Charlie's drive when they pulled up to their home and didn't want to bring it up knowing exactly where it was. She wasn't even sure how to go about getting her truck back but would accept that she'd need to be driven around, not that she had any plans of going anywhere for a while. The idea of going out only made her worry about what people would think about her and she was scared. Bella was terrified of who might be out there just laying in wait to attack. Either it being Sam or Victoria she felt like she had a large mark on her back. She wasn't even sure if the pack, those she believed friends would ever want to see her now anyway. It was easy to joke with her when she was vampire girl when no vampires lived in Forks, not so much once she'd all but brought them all back and distanced herself from them except for pretty much Jake. Even then she didn't want to think his name, the anger and guilt all too much. He'd tried to kill Edward and she'd hate him for that, but she couldn't help but feel guilty for the awkward shy boy he'd been before his heritage had triggered his shifter side. When he'd just been Jake, the boy who fixed cars and didn't believe the legends of his people were even true.

Charlie opened up their home and followed close behind Bella as she climbed the stairs his hand on the small of her back to steady her. While Bella wasn't used to people trying to care of her, she'd tried not to give Charlie a hard time. He'd been exceptionally more attentive and affectionate with her since she'd woken up. The death of some of the kids he knew in La Push and her own attack had fundamentally rocked Charlie's core. He'd seen that he could lose his daughter just as tragically and quickly as some of his friends had lost children and he was tired of holding that part of him back. He'd always feared being too awkward barely knowing his own daughter. There was nothing wrong with showing love though, seeing the Cullen's up close around each other had really hit home with that. Teenagers who weren't ashamed of hugging their parents or each other telling each other they loved one another even with people around. They didn't shy away or get embarrassed they were close. They stuck by one another, Charlie wanted Bella to feel that way from him that she could really trust him and turn to him when she needed. He'd let the Cullen's care for her letting Carlisle and Esme almost become a second set of parents because he was still living the bachelor life even with Bella close. There was no excuse for that. Leaving her alone not knowing what was happening in his daughter's life except for when things got out of hand. Charlie was ready to make changes he just hoped it wasn't too late, his daughter was all but an adult now. Hopefully she still had a place for him in her life.

"I know you probably going to say you don't need it but..." Charlie pushed open Bella's bedroom door and her eyes zeroed in on the modest sized flat screen that had been fitted to the wall across from her bed. While Charlie stood a little worried. He'd wanted to get her something, wanted to have something she could do while she was forced to rest in bed and get well.

"Dad, you shouldn't have this, it must have cost..." Bella turned to Charlie knowing that while he had the money she didn't need it, she was happy with her room without one but she stopped protesting seeing the hopeful look on his face.

"Thank you dad" Bella added as Charlie smiled at her shrugging his shoulders.

"It's not a problem. Carlisle said you'd need to rest and I know you aren't big on watching TV but I thought it give you something to do. During the day instead of just laying around bored" Charlie moved to her smiling and placing a hand on her shoulder as he reached to her bedside table and grabbed the remote control and handing it to her as she took it awkwardly.

"It's got one of those DVD players on the side of it. I kind of just asked the kid in the store to show me what would be the best model. I thought that you could have Edward with you the both of you could watch movies together or something. You'd have to leave the door open though when he's here" Charlie said his cheeks heating at the mention of Edward being in her room, he didn't like the idea of his daughter being alone in bed with the kid. But that was just the way any father would feel about his teenage daughter, Bella however couldn't believe that Charlie was ready to start letting Edward back in the house without argument. Charlie wouldn't know that Edward had been in Bella's room almost every night since they'd started their relationship and for a time even before that.

"You know you're going to have to explain to me what happened between you and Edward. You've given me a hard time about him treated him poorly for a long time. I'm not sure I understand where this whole, turn around has come from" Bella took a seat feeling tired again.

As she sat on the edge of her bed, placing the remote to the side as Charlie stood in front of her. Shifting his weight between his feet awkwardly, before sighing and then taking a seat beside her, on her bed. He thought about whatever it was he was going to say before turning to Bella and looking at her seriously, as he shook his head smiling even if it was a little forced.

"I guess I do owe you an explanation. I was ready to treat him no different when I came to the hospital. I was all but ready to just keep him away from you while you healed. Even though it had nothing to do with him I would have blamed him just because" Charlie shook his head a little ashamed of himself, it seemed so immature now when he thought about the grudge he'd been holding against a teenage boy.

"I always thought that you cared too much. That he didn't deserve it. I've never been able to get past how you looked when he left. I guess seeing him... seeing him so torn up. So damn sad and broken about you being hurt reminded me of that kid who rushed off to chase you with his dad when you went to leave Forks. We had a talk and he was honest with me. Told me about what happened. Told me how he wanted to give you a clean break a chance to move on. I'm not going to say he was right but the thought of him doing that seemed noble even if a little stupid. Then he told me about how he'd... well he'd run away from home but had been too scared to come here in case you wouldn't want him. How he'd called here and been told about Harry Clearwater's funeral. The whole misunderstanding" Bella nodded swallowing harshly against what her father was saying, Edward had tried to tell her father the truth. As close to it as he could, and Bella felt so grateful to him for it. The lies had created a rift between her and her father because of everything that had happened he'd never understood and she'd not wanted to try and lie her way through it.

"He told me. Looked me right in my eyes and told me he'd not wanted to live if you weren't alive" Bella could see the struggle that even her father had with thinking about that. In his eyes Edward was a teenage kid, not some century old immortal. Charlie didn't know the lengths one had to go to seek out destruction, but he knew enough. The seriousness of Edward's claims, Edward would rather be dead then without her.

"It's scared me Bells. Seeing this kid who looked like a man readily tell me he'd kill himself if you died and I couldn't be angry at him. How could I be angry with him for loving you that much? I'm not going to say it doesn't worry me, it does and I hope Carlisle and Esme know about this so they have someone he can talk to about his feelings. But I won't make things difficult for the both of you, not when he's always there for you. Not when he'd do anything for you, he stood by you in that hospital even when I had to work, or deal with everything. He held his own feelings back and made sure you came first. I can respect that" Charlie nodded finishing but Bella was stunned that Edward really had done his best to let her father know. He'd told him he'd kill himself and while the idea was completely against anything she wanted, she understood it.

A vampire had no life once they lost their mate, she'd seen the husk of the immortal Marcus who barely even seemed present only the gift of another in the Volturi holding him in place. She almost believed it cruel that they would leave him in that state instead of giving him mercy, Bella wasn't sure she herself could bare it if Edward was destroyed. She'd want her own mercy given to her if he was taken from her, that wasn't even with being a vampire yet.

"So you're really okay with Edward and I being together?" Bella asked needing to hear him say it, needing to know that she had her father's approval. Even though it had never mattered the idea that her parents could accept the man she planned to spend forever with would be a blessing neither of them would understand nor know.

"Bella as long as he's good to you and he makes you happy I have no problem with him" Charlie reached over giving her hand a gentle squeeze of reassurance.

"I can't promise to always be understanding. I'm still your father and it won't be easy to accept but I recognise you're an adult in most respects and that if he's who you want I can't get between you. I've made it difficult for you both, I've even tried to force... well interfere with Jake knowing how he felt about you. I'm sorry for that too. I was being just as selfish about it as I was trying to protect you, I see that now. You've always been meant for more than Forks and I knew Edward would take you away. He's too big for this small town, I thought by forcing the whole Jake issue it would end up making you stick close to home, you're like me but in that respect you're like your mother. You'd have never been happy here in Forks had it not been for the Cullen's" Charlie said and Bella had wanted to protest but hadn't she believed the very same when she'd first arrived. She'd always planned to leave as soon as she could for college or when Renee settled down again, until Edward. It had only been home here in Forks because Edward and all they shared together was here, she didn't feel it fair to disagree with Charlie when he'd hit the mark so correctly.

"I still wouldn't have regretted coming to live with you" Bella said honestly not wanting her father to feel that she hated being here other then when she was with Edward and his family.

"I know that too Bells. Just remember your old man when that kid has you jet setting across the globe" Charlie wrapped an arm around Bella's shoulders as she smiled and hugged her father back.

It was somewhat of a goodbye Bella could tell in that moment, Charlie knew or at least knew that she'd leave one day and not return, and while she couldn't promise not to. She could promise to never forget him. She'd make sure of that, even after Edward changed her which she knew she was ready for even in her conflict over it. Bella would live for as long as she was gifted with Edward, hopefully forever like they dreamed and she'd always remember her father and mother and that they'd loved her enough to know one day she'd leave them behind.

"Love you dad" Bella whispered into her father's chest as he held her.

"I... I love you too Bells" Charlie mumbled back kissing her hair softly.

Edward had always loved to run.

It had for a long time been the only pleasure he'd gained from becoming an immortal being of the shadows. The wind wiped against his skin as he blurred to the very sight of man. Edward had loved it, even as a human, while the memory had only surfaced later in his early days of his second life. Memories of his human life had become very precious to him then, he'd been raised by two very religious Irish immigrants in Chicago. Elizabeth Masen and Edward Masen Senior had been self made success stories in America. They had married against both their families wishes and then hopped onto a boat over to the new world. They had barely a penny to their names, but had been young and driven and so deeply in love. Even now while their faces had faded from his human memories he remembered their love. Remembered the way his mother had giggled when his father had swept her off her feet and placed a kiss on her lips when he'd returned home.

Edward had been a surprise to both Elizabeth and Edward they'd had him later in their life after they'd finally made a comfortable life for themselves in Chicago. Edward's father had finally made partner in the law firm that he'd started literally at the bottom of, over a decade earlier before his son's birth. It had been that love his two parents shared though that had been always something Edward had held onto, it had been the thing that had kept him from ever satisfying the pleasures of the flesh like so many others of the vampire kind.

Edward had always known that one day he'd find a mate, that he would find the one person who would be to him everything that he ever wished for. That she would be the one person to complete him in all the ways that he still lacked as a person. He'd waited his entire existence, even in his own cynical view of the world, he'd still held hope even when he'd found himself the only one alone amongst mated pairs. His love for running had always been an escape in those past days, when the love making became too much to bear. When the advances of women upon him became almost unbearable to listen too.

Edward ran.

Edward had learnt only in the last twenty years due to Alice and Jasper that Edward may have been a very talented runner as a human. While of course, he'd remembered wanting to be a soldier. His mother's complete rejection of that idea, and his father's own desire for him to work with him as a lawyer. It had been one little news article, in an old archive of newspapers in some remote part of Chicago that Jasper and Alice had found it. The story was barely anything at all really, only a couple of words but it had been accompanied by a picture. Tired and worn and even when Alice had tried to restore it, there hadn't been much improvement but it had been special to Edward. It had solidified something about himself he'd always known and that was that when Edward ran he felt truly at home and within himself complete.

The little news article had merely mentioned the success of one Edward Anthony Masen Junior on his record breaking local track win, it had mentioned that the young seventeen year old had great potential of being a future state champion. It had shocked Edward and made him feel incredibly proud and yet sad too. Even when he'd looked at the little restored image of himself in those horrid barely their shorts and vest with the number thirteen on a white piece of paper pinned to his top. His parents either side of him with the somewhat large trophy standing behind them. It had become something of a reminder of how far from human he was. Of the lost potential he'd had taken from him only months later when the influenza hit. Edward Anthony Masen Junior would never be an athlete or a solider or even a lawyer, fate had made other plans. For a while Edward had tried to reject the joy running had gave him after that, it had taken his brother Emmet's teasing to bring about the joy again when Emmet had obtained a somewhat similar running outfit as the one from the picture. Emmet had teased him relentlessly and in the end Edward had been able to look past his own misery and cynical view of it and accept that running while a link to his humanity didn't have to be something he mourned simply because he wasn't human anymore. Edward had kept that same image in every single wallet he'd ever used since that day, as a reminder of his parents as a reminder that he'd one day have what they had. That just because he was no longer human didn't mean he'd not have the same love they had shared.

Edward over the last couple of days had found himself returning to this image more so then he'd done in a very long time, his forced distance from Bella had made him constantly return back to the photo. While Edward didn't show it often to his family over a hundred years they had been gone and he still mourned the parents that had died beside him in that hospital in Chicago where Carlisle had found him. Alice had tried to get through to him and he'd listened, he'd returned to running perimeter checks during the day hours with his siblings then returning to Bella's side while she slept. He didn't feel guilty for imposing himself on her while she slept, it wasn't the first time he'd found himself watching her while she was unaware but it had seemed everyone else including Charlie and Renee knew. He'd tried to keep his mind occupied away from Bella as she tried to figure it out even though he knew she was struggling, that she was deeply upset still and conflicted over what was happening he knew she had to make her choice. Emmet still believed him a fool for thinking there was ever a choice.

In the end it had been decided with his abilities once Kate awoke Edward would be the one to accompany them on a hunting trip. He was the closest thing, for knowing where any of the pack was at any given time with Alice not able to see anything. Kate had woken wild and grief stricken her last image before having her head torn from her shoulders was Irina's own head being thrown in the fire. When she'd come too finally even in her weak state she'd come out fighting and it had taken Emmet and Edward both getting severely shocked by her gift to try and calm her. Tanya had stepped in then to try and sooth Kate and explained what had happened. The Denali would be in mourning for some time now. Those wounds wouldn't heal, Edward knew that even now both women still mourned Sasha even though she'd betrayed them and created an immortal child. She was still their mother. They'd miss Irina too now forever.

"I thought we were supposed to be all feeding Edward" Eleazer said moving from behind tree cover to see Edward sitting back against a large boulder deep in the Olympia forest.

"I've fed enough" Edward said the small picture held between his fingers as he turned to look up at Eleazer, he was trying out the prosthetic that Emmet had gotten for him. They'd hollowed it out and the limb was pale enough in colour to almost fit Eleazer's real colouring, Eleazer was struggling with it, his advanced mind not liking the useless fake that it had in place. He was doing the best he could all considering.

"Your eyes will take longer to change colour if you don't gauge yourself on animal blood" Eleazer said having expected Edward the usually most weighted down by his guilt to want his eyes to change back as quickly as he possibly could.

"Why bother. I intend to bite more wolves" Edward said with a blunt honesty that Eleazer was coming to respect in the young man he'd always found Edward too isolated and closed off within himself.

"Well the venom certainly works. I believe it's more than that though, your reason for keeping your eyes red?" Eleazer tried to ask of Edward without being to prying in the young immortals business.

"I'm not thinking of changing my food source if that's what worries you" Edward said evenly sitting up more against the bolder as Eleazer moved to stand beside Edward, while he'd found him closed off and burdened he'd always found the vampire Carlisle had sired first a very intriguing vampire.

"It has an effect on the pack. It shows them I have broken the treaty, it shows them a vampire. As their legend tell them. I don't want them to look at me and believe I'm a being of restraint. I want them to see me as the legend they fear. I want them to see a cold one who will end them. I have no shame for these red eyes. I earned them by protecting the woman I love. Once these men are dealt with I'll ensure the colour returns to how they should be. I know it concerns Carlisle" Edward said simply, Alice had been a genius to see that his red eyes would torment the wolves. Them seeing the red of his eyes truly was like he'd spat in the face of everything their people had done to make peace with the cold ones. Ephraim was their noble former leader who had created the treaty, Edward's eyes were a clear attack against the last written word they had of a man they all believed the best of them. Edward found it highly ironic that if Ephraim saw what had become of his people, he'd plead with Edward to stop them.

"Carlisle is in a great time of change even for himself. He's wanted a family, never a coven. I've seen how your family have moved to follow you, Carlisle struggles with it not because he doesn't believe in you but he never wanted that. He certainly never wanted to be at war with other supernatural beings" Eleazer said recognising that it had in some ways been the reason Carlisle had left Volterra. The constant death and seeing Aro and his movements for obtaining power and ending the rule breakers had become too much for Carlisle.

"I can't give him what he wants. I love Carlisle. I know I've disappointed him even if he denies it many times in this life. He created me and I've never hated him for it because I've always known him to be a good man. He saw a child dying and a mother begging him for him to do what only he could. He gave me this life and while I've been unhappy with what I am, trying to deny what I am while remain what I'm not I can't resent his choice. I've found what I've always wanted in Bella. I can't be the man he wants though, I've tried and I've failed so many times. We take our strongest personality traits into this life, Carlisle was always compassionate. I was a young man brash and arrogant with dreams of being a soldier, it was only my fear of god that had kept me tied to my humanity. My absolute view that we were damned and that we were soulless has kept me feeding on animals because I've silently been trying to earn forgiveness from my god. I've come to embrace that I'm both I'm the vampire and the man and I can't pretend to be one thing, I wanted to fight for my country as a human. I would have killed to fight for my flag. I can't stand down and not fight for my family for my mate. I'm selfish. I've always known this and if it comes down to me living forever or my enemies I will always pick myself and Bella" Edward said surprising Eleazer at the complete honesty from him.

Edward had always been insightful but Eleazer had never truly got to know Edward in the way that his own family had, the mind reader had always been something of an enigma to him. Seeing him so accepting of what he was of knowing and believing the reason he was the way he was, Eleazer respected the self awareness of the man in front of him. Knowing his own desire to feed from animals had only come due to a fear he'd carried over from his humanity of a punishing god for his sins he'd committed.

"You don't believe Carlisle can understand this?" Eleazer said believing Edward to be wrong however in that aspect he knew Carlisle loved his family and was a forgiving man.

"My father loved Aro and respected the friendship did he not? Yet my father has been completely against the idea of Aro ever coming into close contact with our family. My sister Alice believes I'm a vampire of a similar position of Aro. Maybe you'd know better you've spent much time with him, I believe Aro power hungry and tyrannical. I believe he will make movements to take those gifted in my family one day, so does Alice. If I'm to trust her and I do wholly, the coming fights are simply trials to ready me for the time Aro and I are to come against each other" Edward said turning to face Eleazer his eyes wide at what Edward had revealed to him. He'd spent much of his existence with Aro and had seen the darker sides of what Aro capable of when he desired something. The idea that Alice predictions of a future war between the Cullen family and that of the Volturi guard scared Eleazer, wolves and untrained newborns were one enemy the Volturi were a threat all unto themselves.

"Has Alice seen this in a vision?" Eleazer asked quickly.

"No. Nothing concrete but Aro's desire for me only grew in Volterra when we met. Then meeting Alice and her unique gift and then my mate still human and able to block him made us far too tempting. We both believe it's only a matter of time before he makes some type of movement" Eleazer believed that they were paranoid, that all the danger around them had made them believe worse of everyone but he noticed the smirk on Edward's face at his thoughts remembering the boy was aware of everything.

"You may be right I was just curious on your own view on it. Alice believes I'm intended to lead my family. You've become a leader of the Denali coven even though you yourself are younger then Tanya and Kate. I wanted your opinion" Edward said curiously, what Alice had said did worry him it added to something he didn't want to think about. But now away from his home and the threat of the two enemies surrounding him and his loved ones, he wanted to know of the potential threat that lay dormant across the ocean hidden away in a castle.

"While I'd never want to tell you not to worry about Aro I do not want to believe that he'd come here unless he had good reason. He respects Carlisle this I do know and while it's true in the end their friendship strained because of their beliefs they are still friends Edward" Eleazer tried to help ease the concerns over Aro being a threat and Edward knew that in his own fear of everything closing in, he may cause more harm. He already had his enemies at his door he couldn't continue looking even with Alice's warning. He'd have to trust that for now the Volturi would stick to their word that they'd allow him to change his mate and that would be the end of it. They just had to hope they didn't draw too much attention with all that was coming.

"What brought this all on really Edward?" Eleazer said sensing that there was more too all this talk of Carlisle and Aro and his Volturi guard coming. He knew the young man had to be under a great deal of pressure they'd also noticed the Denali coven, that Edward had been deeply upset since his mate had woken and wanted time away from him.

"I'm conflicted. Not with what I must do but with what I may have to embrace. I've come to accept my more vampire nature because I had too, so I could be what my mate needed when she was hurt. I realised both man and beast loved her and would do anything to save her. Alice has told me I've rejected my gift because I'm scared of it, she told me that she believes that is where Aro and my similarities fade." Eleazer had to agree with Alice, Aro had always enjoyed holding his power over those around him. Being able to constantly know their thoughts it became too much to resist, most finding themselves ignored until they allowed him to take their hand to see into their minds.

"I guess what I'm requesting is for you to take a reading of my gift Eleazer" Edward said finally as both men looked at each other seriously.

"I've taken your reading before Edward what more could I tell you, then what I've seen in the past?" Eleazer asked confused now sensing that he still didn't completely understand.

"Please take the reading" Edward said weakly, his own mind believing he knew the answer already Alice had tried to make him see and he'd not wanted too.

Now though knowing Bella was ready to take him back or at least accept what he'd done. Alice had already sent him a message letting him know Bella was ready he needed to do his part. Alice had said it was time to stop hiding and pretending, Edward needed to accept that for not only Bella but for himself. A life of always being ashamed of his gift, viewing it as a curse and apologising to those around him for what he had no control over seeing.

Eleazer nodded turning to Edward focusing on him, Eleazer's unique ability almost opening up in his mind as Edward watched intently in his thoughts. Seeing the strange fluidity of colour and while Edward could see the strange almost auras that Eleazer could see in most people he had no way of understanding it, it wasn't really colour that signified anything he'd once tried to decode what it was Eleazer saw. It seemed whatever it was that Eleazer saw even with Edward's mind reading he'd never be able to understand it, this was something entirely only gifted to Eleazer. Much like Jasper's natural awareness and understanding of what a person felt even hidden amongst the clearer emotions in a room or person. He couldn't help but be in awe of the strange language that seemed to be easy for Eleazer in his mind to piece together, for a moment he even believed Eleazer's mind may have gone silent as he took his reading of him and then everything was gone the strange things that Eleazer saw, the sounds he seemed to hear too that took him to a place far different than the one they lived in. Eleazer was shocked when he came to himself, resembling Alice in some ways after she'd been drawn into a powerful vision as he blinked rapidly. Too quickly for any human to notice and then exhaled.

"You truly are a very intriguing immortal. It's no wonder Carlisle has tried to keep you and those in your family secret from other immortals" Edward wasn't completely sure he agreed it was Carlisle's influence or just that most had wanted their abilities to remain their own knowledge and no one else.

"It's developing. I'm rather stunned to see that it is actually you never showed signs of it changing when I first took a reading of you but it's been nearly sixty years since I've ever tried to" Edward nodded Eleazer didn't ever feel the need to use his ability unless asked.

Eleazer was lucky in a sense that his ability was simply to him like turning on a part of him and then shutting it down again when he didn't need it. Unlike so many others gifts in the vampire world Eleazer could simply use this second sight he held or allow it to vanish, like he lived in two worlds. The one of gifts and the potential they held and the normal one.

"I was worried that was the case. I've known for some time that I've been able to hear further, I spent so much time trying to block it all out. Alice and I realised the length it went once when I'd not been concentrating before we moved to Forks. Carlisle had been upset about a patient he'd lost I'd told Esme he'd needed her thinking him in his study. Alice had told me then that Carlisle was still at work. The hospital was nearly ten miles from our home" Edward looked down at his hands concerned it had been a long time ago now, he'd reacted badly too it and never tried to see if he could go further. It seemed the more familiar he was with a mind the further out he could hear it amongst the buzz of thoughts he always heard. After that he'd only doubled his efforts to hear less from the minds around him.

"It's truly impressive. I'd never even thought that such a thing possible for our kind until I'd met Kate and seen her desire to force her gift to develop and cover more than just the palm of her hands. The fact your ability has developed even in spite of you trying to prevent it shows you how powerful a gift you posses Edward" Eleazer said very much engrossed in all the possibility that could come from this talent getting stronger. His mind already musing on if it was only distance that would grow further and further out or if something more of it came from his power.

"I'd hoped Alice was wrong but she's very rarely wrong" Edward sighed suddenly feeling the need to leave and find Bella to just hold her to comfort his own unease. He knew he had to face it. He'd just wanted so desperately for it not to be getting stronger, he'd already felt cursed by it the thought that as the years continued on it might only grow more made him worried.

"This isn't something you should feel is a burden Edward. It's a gift, I know you struggle with it knowing all thoughts, and I can't imagine it's a happy place to be in the minds of those around you. See it for what it is Edward a way to protect your family, ten miles with a familiar mind without trying you saw that from Carlisle those years ago. Imagine an enemy who you could see from ten miles away. Who could ever hope to come at you and your family to cause them harm when you already see them? Already know their mind" Eleazer said his hand reaching out and squeezing Edward's shoulder, he wanted to convince Edward to talk with Kate or even himself more the idea of helping along such a powerful talent thrilled Eleazer. The possibility that it was something even greater than just a growth in his hearing distance thrilled Eleazer even more, felt like he was a scientist discovering something brand new to this world. Developing powers were so very rare, just as rare as Bella and her latent gift in human form.

"I've never viewed it like that. I've always just felt like I was perversely stealing the thoughts from the heads around me" Edward admitted he'd always felt like his gift was something he shouldn't be proud of. Even when all those who knew of it around him were impressed by it, but all thought about it in a way of how powerful it would make them. How knowing the thoughts of those around them, there in gave them power over them, Edward had never wanted that though.

"That's why you are nothing like Aro. He never had issue with knowing and wanting to know more. I used to believe that his gift was more powerful Edward but I think Aro may have seen what I have not. Your mind reading with its still developing potential is far beyond even him. You and your Bella are going to be a very powerful mated pair once she comes into this life" Edward had to agree he had believed Bella would be a very powerful immortal once she was changed. He'd known that the second he'd seen her block not only Aro but Demetri and Jane's gift. Demetri was a tracker who could follow, a somewhat mind footprint, a brain wave of sorts and when he'd seen Bella he'd seen nothing to tell him she'd ever entered the room at all.

"We should begin in that direction. Carmen is looking for you and Tanya and Kate have finished" Edward changed the subject ready to leave this conversation behind he'd need to think about this all more.

Most of all though, he wanted to return to Bella. He wanted to speak to her and he knew she was ready to speak with him now. He had enough faith in them that she wasn't going to send him away. The reunion they had shared in the hospital hadn't been what he wanted at all. Now with Bella home he hoped she'd let him take her into his arms and hold her. Hold her so he could finally feel inside of him that she was safe and that they were unbreakable.

"Let's go. It's never wise to leave Carmen waiting" Eleazer joked happily.

Even as Edward could see in his mind that Eleazer wanted to talk more about what he'd seen. He didn't doubt for a second that Eleazer and Carlisle would later hold themselves up in Carlisle's study to talk about the theories that Eleazer was starting to think. May be possible with what he'd seen and what he believed may change vampire's views on gifts or talents they had. Edward and Eleazer both moved from the bolder they'd been sitting on Edward giving one last look down at the picture smiling gently as he pushed it into his pocket. It was time for him to let Bella see all of him instead of the parts he'd willingly showed. Even those long lost human parts of him that he'd even tried to hide from himself, Alice had been right. It was time for them both to truly be honest with whom they were. Edward was confident in one thing though, he knew whatever he revealed to Bella she'd find a way to understand and still love him because he knew that there wasn't anything Bella could tell him that he'd not be able to accept. Emmet was right, there was no choice human or vampire Bella was his mate he'd found that bond even while she was human, he knew she felt it too.

There was no time for doubting that now.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N Hey everyone, just wanted to say sorry that this didn't come up sooner but life got in the way I'm getting this chapter to you this week though early. So I hope it makes up for my lack of multiple updates last week. I won't bore you with a really long Authors note I just want to say thank you to all of you, some of the reviews I've been getting recently have been amazing and really have made me try and make my story better. Some of you are seeing things I've missed and hopefully once I finish this I can go back and fine tune anything to make it more consistent. So thank you all for reviewing and to those of you who have recommended this story, it's slowly become something very important to me. I've tried my hand at writing before but this seems to have taken off and it shows I've hit the nail on the head somewhere with the way you guys are taking too it so well. So thank you my wonderful readers.**

 **Also I have to give a huge thank you to _Tricia2475_. I made a mistake with my file send of this chapter but she was fantastic and still managed to get me some help and corrections. It's really great having someone to watch over my writing and tell me when I need to scrap one thing and expand on another. So Thank You _Tricia2475_.**

 **RED DAWN**

 **SUMMARY:** Edward had always warned Bella that the pack were dangerous. Hostile, volatile and aggressive in nature. She ignored him, testing even Edward's own vampire instinct by staying friends with his enemy, Jacob. One event will change them all, Bella never truly understood the supernatural world. Didn't understand the aggression that lay dormant even in her controlled mate until it was too late. Warning: Violence and Character death.

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the Characters.**

* * *

 **Chapter Nine**

Forks had been swallowed by night fall by the time Edward reached Bella's home. Edward had stopped to find both Emmet and Rose watching over the Swan home in the cover of the tree line. They'd decided to take up watch while Edward was hunting with the Denali, he'd checked in with them both letting them know that they were free to hunt even though they refused the offer. It seemed that the attack of the pack on the Denali coven while days ago now, had hit harder then they'd wanted to show. Losing Irina made them feel truly vulnerable, all of them. While the pack had lost more members to this fight, Edward had started to see that the once self assured belief that they weren't as much as a threat had vanished. His family had learnt from the mistakes the pack had made in the past and they weren't about to let themselves be taken off guard. Especially with how well planned the attack on the Denali coven had been, it was no secret that battle had been lost.

Though the measures taken had left the pack firmly in their own land, Edward had found from other members of his family that some who worked outside of La Push had even refused to leave their land. Jasper and Emmet had earlier in the day been training and Edward believed that they'd continue to. Rose had even made it perfectly clear her desire to be trained alongside some of the other members. Carlisle had remained distant if not completely removed from all the thoughts his siblings had while they'd tried to help each other. He still refused to see what was happening, even as the Denali cried out for instant action Carlisle held them back struggling to keep his family from moving to counter the offense carried out against them.

"How has she been?" Edward asked as the three of them stood outside looking towards the house.

Edward could hear the movement even from this distance, the hushed conversation Charlie and Renee were having about hospital bills if Bella wanted reconstructive surgery. It was an issue Edward didn't like thinking about. He would offer the money if Bella felt the need to have the surgery done but he doubted she'd take it. She'd always been stubbornly set in her ways about his money and wanting to give her what was his.

"She slept a little earlier. For a few hours before she had dinner with both Charlie and Renee. She's been in her room since then, she unlocked the window" Rose said making it clear to Edward that it was a sure sign of her welcoming him. The window being unlocked had always been a sign between them, if she ever locked it, which she never had it meant for him not to come in. Her window being open to him was a welcoming, one he didn't plan on ignoring for long.

"Go on we won't hold it against you for wanting to see her" Emmet slapped Edward on the back laughing as Edward grinned back at his larger brother.

"We'll leave you two to make up. Though I can't imagine its much fun making up when you're celibate" Emmet said sourly trying to get under the skin of Edward as he shook his head at his thoughts. It was no secret that Emmet and Rose's physical relationship bordered on the side of constant arguing and making up but Edward didn't nearly feel as annoyed by their physical showing of love. Not now he had someone he loved too, he'd never realised before that his annoyance had come from a place of jealousy and bitterness.

"Once she's ready we can have all the makeup sex she wants" Edward said smugly shocking both Emmet and Rose leaving them behind with mouths still slightly agape and minds speechless and stuck on the thoughts of their virgin gentlemen brother seducing his human mate. Further signs of the drastic shift that seemed to be falling over Edward, the thought that he was even entertaining the idea stunned them. While at the same time making them both somewhat proud in his growth.

"Oh god brain bleach" Emmet called from behind Edward as he only laughed louder to himself, then having to pull in his own amusement at the expense of his brother and sister.

They'd always enjoyed making him feel uncomfortable with the comments of sex, especially when he'd always been so set in his human times beliefs on the act. Edward did see that Emmet, while disturbed by the thought of Edward finally letting go of that old fashioned mind set, was genuinely happy to see this less uptight version of Edward. For all the rage and stress Emmet believed that those small hints of the confident man Edward was becoming, who voiced his thoughts without fear of being turned away or seen as something less then he was would be a good thing. Emmet only wanted his family happy.

Edward moved quickly to Bella's home leaping up in one fluid motion and slipping inside of her bedroom window and closing it, he watched the moment Bella became aware of his presence. She had her back to him as she stood near to the new flat screen Charlie had got her slipping a disk into the side of it as her body froze hand extended outwards. Edward remained still as he watched her, her scent had finally returned to itself and it was a comfort and even though the venom in his mouth caused a fire down his throat as he swallowed it back he couldn't help but feel a comfort in the pain. He'd always said he was a masochist. Bella spun around a little too quickly and Edward felt the need to move to her side and steady her but she was sure footed as she looked at him finally.

There was a long pause between the two as they simply stood across from one another staring. Anyone would have believed the separation had been longer. Bella's beautiful brown eyes watered and she moved then all but leaping as Edward met her, embracing her into his arms and holding her small body into his arms. They both clung to each other neither having it in them to speak a word even though they both knew they had so much to say. In that moment though, both were happy to be pulled into that special bubble that seemed to form around them whenever they were alone together. Happy to just enjoy and savour the feel of holding the person they loved most in the world. Bella nestled her face into his supernaturally hard chest even though there was no give behind it pressed her face into it more feeling a few tears slip past her eyelashes. How could she ever for a second believe she'd not be able to forgive him, how had she ever doubted that they'd be able to get past what had happened. It seemed a ridiculous thought now as she fisted his shirt at his back all but wanting to crush her own body against him, his cool touch like a soothing balm to her bruised heart.

"I'm so sorry love" Edward whispered into her hair pressing his lips to the top of her head his fingers splaying over her hip and the small of her back rocking them together as they stood there still.

"No I'm sorry. I was confused. I shouldn't have sent you away" Bella refused to hear his apology feeling so much guilt. She knew that the separation was the one thing both of them probably feared most after the actual loss of the other.

"I understood. We were angry, we've both made so many choices and now I've done things. I know you'd never want. I know my excuses may be hard for you to understand. I know it goes against all I've told you about my family" Bella looked up at Edward shushing him as she moved to place a finger against his lips to stop him, she didn't want him to beg for her forgiveness not when she'd had just as much hand in this all coming to head.

She knew logically she'd had no real impact on the deaths that had happened, she'd not killed Jacob but then she'd not been at fault for Jake hurting her either. Edward had done what a vampire did when they risked losing their mate. Edward protected himself when he'd had too. How could she make him feel guilty for that for saving her and protecting himself, she couldn't that wouldn't be fair.

"Please Edward you don't have too. I can't... I can't say I understand and I hope I never have to feel what you must have felt. I've made mistakes too. I tried so hard to force something that just wasn't possible. I've overlooked your own feelings about that entire situation. I overlooked so much when it should have been clear from the beginning. What you said it opened my eyes to a lot of what I tried to push aside and forget" Bella said wanting him to know she'd finally heard him. She had never believed Edward possible of the same insecurities and fears that she was. She'd ignored his feelings on the entire Jake situation, and then she'd ignored his warnings when he'd begged her to listen. She'd put herself at risk and it had resulted in the entire imploding of the treaty and now she knew that there was a war she'd not be able to stop.

"I never wanted to hurt you. Even though I hate him, even though I still hate him after what I did to him. I never wanted to take your friend not in that way Bella" Bella nodded as she looked into his eyes and then finally saw them, she'd noticed the strange colour when she'd woken in hospital but hadn't seen them since that up close. Now she could finally see them and what had changed about them.

Bella looked up into Edward's eyes and she saw that of a traditional vampire. They were a bright ruby red, so bright and wild as they looked down at her. These were the colour of eyes she'd seen in those who had in the past wanted to bring her harm. She'd seen red eyes like these on the face of James when he'd hunted her. In Laurent's when he'd found her in the meadow, then Victoria's when she'd come for her. Bella had seen more red eyes on vampires then she'd seen golden of the Cullen family. She'd never believed she'd see them on Edward's though. Even when she'd first found out what he was and he'd told her he'd killed before she'd never seen him in her mind with red eyes. Never thought to even think of Edward in such a way, he'd always shown so much restraint and control she'd never believed he was capable of making the type of mistakes that he'd warned her about.

Even then though, as she looked into those swirling red liquid eyes, even brighter than his butterscotch eyes after hunting, he was completely mesmerizing to her. Even there with the truth as plane to her as it had ever been that he'd taken a life, she saw only beauty. Bella knew then, knew that even if Edward had found her as a vampire who preyed on human's and had claimed her for himself as his mate without the need to resist his true hunger she'd have loved him. Bella would have always loved him, animal or human, innocent or sinner. Bella would love Edward, there was no questioning it, there was no doubt in it, and she would love Edward in spite of anything he did or chose to be. Bella was his completely. She'd just never truly understood the complete depth of it, the mating bond was unconditional, and it was unbreakable.

Edward felt the need to close his eyes to her as she looked at him. He'd not thought to grab the lenses that Alice had been giving him for when he was around humans. He'd found them irritating and uncomfortable, the constant need to change them was problematic too because of the venom coating his eye that slowly disintegrated the lenses. For a second Edward had wanted to find an exit as Bella looked at him completely and then froze on his eyes. It had only been because she'd not flinched or cringed away from him that had kept him in place holding her as she looked into his very soul. He knew that whatever she asked or said to him in that moment he'd never hold it against her, she'd seen some of the worst of his kind and they'd all shared that similar feature, the eye colour. His usually golden eyes had always been something that made him different from those of his kind that even he called monsters. That he judged even worse then what he was to this world.

"Your eyes they're beautiful" Bella whispered her hand moving up to cup his face and she'd watched as her words and almost made her unbreakable love crumble.

She'd seen the vulnerability in Edward's face then, and she saw then what Jasper had tried to make her see, how easily she could break him. Make him doubt everything he was doing to keep them all safe. One word said wrong or an accusation thrown at him and he'd cave, he'd give her everything she'd ask for. He'd done that ever since his return, he'd allowed her friendship even though he hated it, he agreed to change her while trying to convince her to compromise something else but eventually caved to that too. She held so much power over him and she didn't want to take advantage of that anymore, they were meant to be equals and in love not using that love against each other. He'd been right when he'd accused her of punishing him, now she saw how he'd seen it that way all along.

"You don't mean that" Edward said closing his eyes as Bella moved both her small hands to hold his face too look directly in her eyes, not wanting him to look away.

"I do. They are beautiful even red, I've seen them red, black and golden and I'd love you in every single way. You've always had beautiful eyes not because of the colour but what I can see inside, the man I see in them" Bella said honestly trying to make him see.

"I love you Edward. I love you and that won't change, nothing will ever change that" Bella's voice turned to a soft whisper as she became overwhelmed with her declaration of love for him and then she was off her feet.

Edward hadn't been able to stop himself, he'd need, wanted to as he'd taken claim of Bella's body and swept her at vampire speed off her feet and then moved her down onto her bed. He moved over her possessing her in a way he'd always tried to hold back, the man scared of the monster in the past he'd been scared of his own desire for his mate. Believing it something sinister, he knew better now. His instincts didn't wish her harm, he'd overcome that, his hunger for her wasn't of the blood in her body but the body itself and the pleasure he'd desired from it from the very beginning. Too long he'd lived a life of restraint and denied himself anything that would give him pleasure, listening to her devotion her love for him. It had been everything he'd wanted and waited a century for. As he held himself over her, as she looked up at him her eyes wide and hooded in desire too he knew she was his equal in all ways. Even in his years on this earth both were the same in this. He didn't see the stitching and marks on her face as she feared he might, he only saw her and everything he'd always wanted.

Then he descended on her, his lips firm and unyielding took claim of hers then, brushed over her fuller bottom lip forcing her lips apart. He consumed her and he took her lips against his own, he tasted her scent in his mouth and he embraced the ache that it created in his throat and in his very body for her. Edward kissed her completely, he kissed her like a lover instead of controlled restrained chaste pecks, and he gave them both something they'd both wanted. She'd always been more vocal in her desire for more while he'd remained silent in his need, now he would give in. He would give in to everything he'd always secretly wanted. He wasn't human but he could still have this, hadn't he seen that with all his family. They loved just as passionately and he'd for some reason always believed his passion a sin.

No more.

He'd sacrificed enough of his life mourning what he couldn't be and what he'd never have, this he could and Edward greedily took and he kissed and tasted and it was heaven. It ached so good, and it brought to life parts of his body he'd once believed long dead to him, arousal he'd once forced down was taking reign over his body.

Bella was swallowed by a world of touch and bliss, she'd not understood what was happening until she'd looked into those darkening red eyes, she'd then felt his lips. She'd returned his kiss in kind feeling like a woman dying of thirst, finally she was being given a drink of water and when they reached that point she knew Edward always retreated.

He didn't stop.

He pushed forward more and Bella felt the tingle deep in her toes and her belly as his fingers long and confident swept into the back of her hair and tightened, and then his tongue. Bella had almost felt her heart stop the moment his tongue had swept against her lip and then pushed into her mouth. The pleasure that had wavered across every inch of her, as he deepened the kiss, the very intoxicating taste of him. There was sweetness to his kiss that made her feel like she'd never grow tired of kissing him. She'd been a mess of hormones and joy as finally, finally Edward kissed her and showed her the kind of need she'd worried he'd never felt for her.

She'd been a fool though.

To not see until now, that it had all been just another layer of his need to protect her from him. His own fear and now he was letting part of it go, she'd given him something in her declaration and now he felt free to give her something more of himself without fear. Bella whimpered her heart beat hammering against her chest she felt as if she could hear it in her ears. As Edward slowed the pace of their kissing then resting his forehead against her own. She lay beneath him, his hand still tangled in the back of her hair as she panted lost for breath, she felt like she was a live wire ready to explode with just the closest of sparks near her.

"I've wanted to do that for so long" Edward whispered the boyish smile on his face as he rested there still, his long hard body lined up against her own as he braced his weight over her.

"I...I... that" Bella shook her head giggling softly.

Edward leant up to look down at her smiling widely and care free for the first time in what felt like far too long. They had both been so surrounded by such complications and to hear her giggle, to feel so free even now with the world around them coming to such horrible moments. Still while alone they could find that happiness, that place just for them.

"You've been holding back" Bella whispered her fingers twisting in the front of Edward's shirt, her lips were pouted perfectly and swollen from kissing. In that all too desirable way that made Edward want to suck on them, as he tried to resist that urge.

"Not anymore" Edward whispered looking down at Bella and there was a promise in those two simple words, too long he'd held himself back. He'd hidden parts of him for fear of his own insecurities, Alice had been right it was time to stop hiding and that meant all of him, he was after all a forever frozen seventeen year old boy.

"I love you too Bella. I know I don't say that nearly enough. It's true though, all those times when I've stopped our advancing it was my own hang ups, my fear and belief I was wrong that stopped us. I'm ready now, I want everything with you. I want eternity I want forever both of us like this loving each other, heart, body and soul" Edward brushed his lips once more against her own lips as Bella inhaled heavily against his lips humming in pleasure as Edward growled playfully, that earned peal of laughter.

They'd need to be careful to not draw attention to themselves from both Renee and Charlie in the house. It was so easy to become distracted with Bella. They certainly didn't need to be caught like this by Bella's parents Edward knew, any head way he'd been making with Charlie would be lost completely if he was to find them in bed together.

"It makes me really happy that you're willing to do that now. I know you don't think you're a good person, I know if I defended you now you'd likely use the things that have happened now as a way to show me you aren't" Bella said wrapping her arms around Edward's neck as he braced himself on his elbow his fingers tenderly tracing along her cheek and jaw.

"I won't lie to you and tell you it still doesn't hurt. It does, it hurts inside that this has been the result. I hoped that you'd both be able to accept each other. I know you wouldn't have done this if you had any choice. I've defended you both against each other but I know they'll never let us simply walk away now. We can't, so I can only ask you to defend yourself. I know it's asking a lot, I just hope you'll only fight if you have too. Don't go onto their land Edward, don't go looking for the war if you have to defend yourself I can accept that but I can't accept you just hunting them and killing them" Bella admitted weakly knowing that they had to talk about those things that caused them both so much discomfort and anger, she couldn't expect him to listen to her now. She just didn't want him to go to La Push and attack them. She knew that he was most likely still angry with what had happened to her, angry that they'd then killed Irina and hurt other's that he saw as friends even family in some degree.

"If I thought leaving would fix all our problems I'd go Bella. We can't though. Victoria has her army in Seattle that's our responsibility to stop. The pack, I know it may be hard for you to see but they aren't innocent Bella, I've come to see that they've hurt people. Killed people, by accident maybe. Then again I won't try and convince you my war against them is one of noble reason to defend the humans, I can't promise you anything Bella. I wish I could spare you this pain but now, the Denali want blood. I want it too, I can only apologise that my need for them gone will bring you pain" Edward whispered pressing his lips to her forehead softly sighing as he pressed his nose to her hair line inhaling her scent deeply, freesia and strawberry's.

"I'll try to understand. I know that you had to defend yourself against Jake and Paul. I know you did what you did to Leah to make them retreat so you could save the Denali" Bella said as Edward shifted them then moving onto his back and rolling Bella's body so she was curled up against him her head resting on his ever silent chest where his heart no longer beat.

"I don't want to scare you but... Billy and Sam have both made it clear they want to hurt you Bella. A human. They've completely dishonoured everything their previous shifters stood for, if they could see them now they'd stop them themselves" Edward told her, he did need Bella to understand that the lines had been drawn for her even if she didn't want to fully accept that. Both Billy and Sam had made threats or at least comments towards Bella deserving just as much punishment as he did for what had happened. Edward also knew he'd made a true enemy in Sam for what he'd done.

"I know" Bella sighed pressing her face into his chest more as if to hide her pain and confusion from him. As Edward tried to remain calm through her struggling his hand moving to stroke through her long hair.

"I guess it was silly of me to hope that this would all just go away and we'd be allowed to live out the remainder of our time in Forks without any more death" Bella said resting her chin on Edward's chest and looking up at his stoic and emotionless face concerned she'd upset him again.

"It's not silly to hope Bella" Edward reached forward swiping away one of her tears as it escaped past her eyelashes.

"Every day I hoped for you and it paid off. Some things just aren't within our grasp. I wish you had been with me when we first came to Forks. When we met the original pack, you'd understand why this was somewhat inevitable. The men who agreed to the treaty while distrusting of us respected our sacrifice for not feeding on humans. They also feared our power. They weren't hostiles or angry, they were all in control of themselves, they could hold a conversation with us without insulting us. It's the closest we could have ever hoped to have coexistence and it worked. Unfortunately these young men aren't them and those who should have helped guide them only aided them in making the wrong choices" Edward tried to explain to Bella, she understood what he meant too, as he spoke about his time when the Cullen family had first come to find the Quileute's.

She'd always hated how antagonistic the pack were, how everything they said was some poorly concealed threat or insult and none of them, not one of the Cullen's ever rose to the bait. There was of course the odd time they'd call them a dog or mutt, but not nearly to the vile things said by those she'd considered friends.

"You said the humans in charge didn't help them?" Bella asked wanting to understand more, wanting to be able to see all sides that Edward could see with his power. She knew he'd seen that the pack had hurt, even killed humans in the past he'd said that in the hospital when he'd been angry and Carlisle and Jasper had explained more later on after.

"You have to understand while the council believed the legend, they instantly believed we'd come to harm. Even though we'd never harmed a soul when we'd lived here before, even though the treaty had remained within their legends and ancients texts they still thought we would kill. When Sam shifted, they were happy, wanted him to attack or confront us straight away. Old Quil is the oldest member of the tribe and his father was a member of Ephraim's pack talked them down told them not to dishonour his father and their own ancestor's last word. Sam was also in no mind to start a war with a coven of vampires alone. As we both know the result of the whole ordeal of Sam, Leah and Emily love triangle. It resulted in Sam losing his temper and Emily being harmed. She was lucky he was so new. He barely knew what he was doing, so she managed to get away just enough before he'd swiped at her" Edward told Bella gently playing with her hair as she rested her head back on his chest listening to what he'd gathered from memories and placed together with the rest of his family. Before she'd always been unwilling to listen and now she knew it was the only way she could understand his feelings on why she should have never been around Jake. Edward's distrust of the pack and the lack of control they had.

"That should have warned them from the beginning. Imprinting is sacred, to kill a shifters imprint would severely hurt the wolf emotionally" Edward said and he knew that to be true. The entire imprint was an almost guardianship of the imprinted they literally felt they had to protect their imprinted with their life.

"Jake said the imprint is true love. That they have to be together, it breeds the stronger shifters carries on the gene" Bella said while Edward, shook his head in disagreement

"I'm sure he'd have explained it that way, especially when he'd hoped you'd be his. When a wolf imprints it ties the wolf to the imprinted. That doesn't mean they have to be together, it simply means they are tied together however the imprinted wants them to be. One of the boys has imprinted on a child, he has no desire to wait for her and be with her that would be considered wrong on any ethical and moral grounds. He'll be like a big brother to her, they won't be together. It's because of that issue that the whole Sam, Emily and Leah situation became so complicated. The truth in what he said is that it's shown that a wolf mating with its imprint ensures the bloodline continuing. Sam never wanted to leave Leah, however Sam was the only boy who had shifted. The council wanted the gene to live on, so they forced the two together. Emily and Sam. They of course with the bond of the imprint grew to love each other as more then friends but Sam would always love Leah. It's why there is still conflict about it. The tribe all but forced the situation, it didn't help that it was because Leah wasn't capable of having children that they refused to let Sam and Leah be together. That only became more concrete when Leah shifted, some of the men believe that Leah should have been born a boy and that was why she could shift" Edward explained as best he could the entire sordid tale of how the council had manipulated three confused teenagers with lies about what imprinting was to benefit the people and in the end hurt them all.

"So Sam wanted Leah but because she couldn't have children to ensure shifters in the future they lied to Sam about what imprinting meant to keep Emily and him together" Bella asked realising just what that meant, how sick and twisted that was of people that she'd respected, people who were Charlie's friend.

"Yes it's why Leah attacked Harry. She found out her own father's involvement and lost control. An imprint is special because it ties you to someone as their protector. Ephraim was imprinted to a young man in the tribe who he cared for as a son. The tribe have confused much of their own stories over time, things we could have explained had they wished to know" Edward explained as Bella looked up at Edward wide eyed shaking her head, this hadn't been what she'd been told about imprinting at all.

"Why would Jake say it was..." Bella stopped her question almost feeling the sickening feeling that she finally understood why her friend would tell her that imprinting was a form of true love. He'd known by then all the sordid details about what had happened between Sam, Emily and Leah even though he'd kept very tight lipped about it.

"Jake wanted you to believe that if he imprinted on you that it meant love because he already had feelings for you. He'd wanted you all along. He'd hoped to use the bond to make you fall for him like Emily and Sam. Like Paul and Rachel his sister. Jake didn't realise that the imprint only happens on those within the tribe bloodline. Charlie's cousin Molly may have married old Quil but you were never part of the tribe so never a true potential of ever being his imprint" Edward added as he sighed and moved his other hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose, much of this had been things he'd wanted to tell Bella in the past when she'd been unwilling to listen to him.

"That's all so messed up. So much deceit and lies, that isn't it either you said that they've hurt people" Bella edged on wanting to know the truth behind all the secrets that Edward had seen in minds around him and what she'd until now refused to open her eyes too.

"Well Emily's injury was the first lie. Sam did well under circumstance but guilt from hurting his imprint, hurting the woman he loved, then loving another. He acted out hurt other's I'm not completely sure who. I've barely seen glimpses I know though from what I saw in Billy's mind that the more boys that shifted the more cover ups they'd had. Paul was the worst; he'd killed the most of them. But because Billy wanted his daughter and Paul to have children he'd refused to do anything but help hide his mistakes. Then when Jake started hurting other's he only forced more to help him. The council believed that it was okay for them to hide these acts, the shifters were far more important to the tribe then a few men and woman who were at the wrong place at the wrong time" Edward said and Bella shook her head as she lay on his chest.

She couldn't believe how they'd ever held themselves above the Cullen's when they'd been hurting people. Killing them even just because they couldn't calm themselves and shifted around humans. It seemed so unnecessary that if they'd just tried to learn to control themselves better it would have never become such a problem. The fact that the council had so manipulatively worked even the young shifters, into doing what they wanted for what they deemed the betterment of the tribe made her physically sick.

"It just seems all so wrong. That the council would just... forget about everything they claimed to stand for. They always went on about being the protectors of humans that you were the monsters. None of you are hiding bodies on a reservation though, or lying about supernatural bonds to keep people in place" Bella shook her head angrily, she was mad at Billy disgusted with him and all of the members of the council.

"They made poor choices Bella. Selfish choices we're all guilty of that in some way even I can recognise that, but I agree. Yes the council have had too much pull. Unfortunately now too much has been ingrained in the members of the pack, in the grand reality of it all none of that matters. I've broken the treaty and therefore we're at war, it doesn't matter to them what was done wrong to cause me to react I'm the one at fault and they want all of my family to pay" Edward told Bella stroking his hand to cup her chin as he leant down and brushed his lips against her own as Bella sighed.

"When you said that I wasn't safe at the reservation?" Bella asked needing to know how much of this information had been recent knowledge to Edward. She knew he'd have stepped in had he known about people dying, she was surprised that he hadn't told her about the imprinting lies the tribe had told.

"You weren't safe Bella. The more I tried to tell you or even Alice the more you refused to believe us. We hurt you, we left you and I will forever be sorry for that Bella you didn't trust me and I can understand why" Edward said his tone though while he spoke about being understanding held anger in it and Bella could hear it.

"I should have listened. He was my friend. I just... well I knew how he felt. I know that's wrong that I knew and continued my friendship" Bella rushed seeing the darkening of his eyes once again but for another reason.

"I was scared you'd leave. Scared you wouldn't stay and I didn't want to lose him too in case you did leave" Bella finally admitted shame filling her as she tried not to meet Edward's gaze.

"Would you have moved on with him?" Edward's tone was laced with such pain and hurt that it physically made Bella tremble; her being honest was hurting him.

"No" She shook her head adamantly. She'd taken advantage simply because she had needed a friend, but Jake would have never been a replacement. There would have been no replacement for Edward and what they'd had.

"I stood there on that border line every time you went there. Humiliated, by the constant thoughts of boys thinking of my mate, my reason for existing, being with your friend. Thinking of all the ways they'd seen Jake plan to seduce you. Thoughts from his own mind I had to listen to. You made me endure that every time you defended him. Every time you argued the reason to stay part of his life" Edward said it was clear now that they were touching upon the issues that had lingered from before this whole ordeal. The things that had lead to the events of the night she'd been attacked.

"I was wrong. I... I just didn't want to let go of him. I felt guilty, I'd hurt him by coming to you. He'd been there for me..." Bella was cut off.

"Yes he was there when I wasn't. But not for noble reason. While I was held up in an attic in Brazil wishing I could die, you had little Jake to make everything okay" Edward said with a harshness that made Bella stiffen.

"You're still angry. I know I deserve it but I can't change it Edward. I wish I could. I do anything to have never let this happen. Not him dying but to save you the pain I caused" Bella pleaded moving to him and trying to pull his body closer to hers.

"It was agony having to watch you go to him every time. To have a mate who for a moment I wasn't sure even loved me" Edward whispered closing his eyes and Bella shook her head eyes blurred as she tried to trail kisses along his face trying to erase the pain. She'd never known he'd felt that way. She'd not known he'd been so tormented by her friendship with Jake, she'd always believed he was just being overprotective. She'd never thought he'd doubted her love like she had his.

"Only you Edward. Only ever you. I thought he was my friend. I was stupid I should have listened, should have seen his intentions weren't to be friends. If he'd ever been my friend he'd have never tried to hurt you" Bella pressed her lips to the corner of his lips trying to bring him back to her, trying to awaken the passion of earlier to make him see just how completely he owned her.

"I love you" Edward whispered hoarsely trying to release a hurt that he'd always before pushed aside believing he deserved it but now seeing he'd not deserved to feel the way he had. The weight seeming to fall from him seeing that Bella was finally seeing his hurt over her actions, hoping they could move through this stronger now.

"I love you too Edward. I'll love you forever. I'll love you every day of my human life and then every day of my vampire one. Forever" Bella whispered as Edward finally returned the kiss as they pulled each other's bodies closer. It felt like hours passed between them then as they lay in each other's arms, slowly caressing at the slithers of exposed skin and sharing short kisses. Then longer kisses that melded into something that promised something much more intimate then anything they had ever shared. They tried to heal each other, Bella tried to fix the pain she'd inflict in the man she'd taken for granted and placed on a pedestal. A pedestal that viewed him as more of an unfeeling statue then a real person, she'd been neglectful of his feelings. She'd never do that again.

"You're tired and I'm keeping you up far too long with stories you shouldn't be hearing before you sleep, love" Edward finally said as he broke their shared kiss. He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. Bella snuggled in closer to his body even though she wasn't nearly ready to go to sleep yet, still wearing her clothes that she'd had from being discharged from the hospital.

"I feel like all I do is sleep" Bella said in a little frustrated sigh as she moved to sit up, Edward could only smile at her annoyance the whole angry kitten thought returning to his thoughts as he looked at her.

"Your body is healing love. It would be better that you rest as much as you can. I know the painkillers that Carlisle gave you have some side effects of drowsiness" Edward moved to sit up on Bella's bed resting his back against the head board, as Bella slipped off the bed and moving to her wardrobe grabbing a shirt to sleep in.

"I know I shouldn't complain but I'm already tired of just laying around in a bed. With everything that's going on I feel useless, not that I could offer any kind of help to anyone anyway" Bella sighed moving her hand up and pushing her wild untamed hair from Edward's hands tangling it, smiling slightly shyly at the memory as Edward watched her from her bed.

"How about tomorrow I take you to visit my family. You've never met the Deanli's before and while the circumstances aren't happy ones I'm sure they'd like to meet you" Edward offered knowing that she wouldn't be happy to just hideaway in her home while everything was happening. It would also ease his own concern to have her close by him and his family while so many threats lingered around them all.

"I'd like that" Bella nodded shifting a little before moving towards her door.

"I'll be back just need to get ready" She smiled and waved a little awkwardly as Edward watched her hop from one foot to the other and leave out of her bedroom door.

All while resisting the urge to tell her she didn't have to leave to change. While he may be ready to advance forward in their more physical sides of their relationship she was still healing and he still had far superior strength, which he'd need to ensure he didn't over use while in the throes of passion. He had no idea what to expect and how he'd react to those sides of what he wanted with Bella, he knew kissing her or making out as he'd heard from minds was one of his new favourite things to do. He was definitely still a seventeen year old in most ways.

Edward remained on Bella's bed while she changed. Bella though was slightly panicking as she looked at the stitching on her body when she'd removed her shirt. Finally seeing them completely in the mirror she felt sick, she was hideous and the idea that now Edward was finally ready to give her more like she'd asked. Now she was scared of what he'd think of her body. She tried to stop herself from getting too upset knowing Edward would notice as she pulled the baggy sleep shirt onto cover herself. She couldn't hide her face and some of the marks on her neck but Edward hadn't seemed to notice or he was doing an exceptional job of hiding any response, she just couldn't imagine how he'd ever find her attractive like this. She returned to her room to find him in exactly the same position as he was before she'd left, she'd never understand how they could remain so still. Maybe one day she'd see, Bella locked her bedroom door behind her moving towards her bed as Edward looked at her. His red eyes looking her over and she self consciously wondered if she'd picked a shirt that wasn't clean or something as he watched her a little more intently then she was used to even from Edward.

Edward was feeling his desire rise more, he wasn't sure if she'd simply done it intentionally or by accident but the lack of sleep pants. Gave Edward a more then healthy amount of skin revealed to him as Bella stood before him in just her sleep shirt. He couldn't seem to pull his eyes away from her legs. He couldn't help but wonder how Bella, who was barely a few inches taller than Alice seemed to have such long looking legs.

"Where are your sleeping bottoms?" Edward asked forcing his eyes to finally look up at Bella's face her cheeks looked pinker from her beautiful blush her teeth digging into her full bottom lip

"I'm more comfortable like this. If it makes you uncomfortable I can..." Bella stopped talking though as Edward continued looking at her then moving to sit on the edge of her bed crooking his finger at her calling her towards him.

"No. Don't. Stay just as you are" Edward swallowed against the build up of venom.

Edward had opened up a door now by allowing himself to be more open about his own desire and it seemed even just the thought of her bare legs, seemed too hard to hide his own desire. It wasn't like this was the first time he'd seen her legs, now though with his control gone. Or at least his need for control gone he felt wild and untamed, he felt more human now not trying to restrain himself all the time then he'd ever felt trying to remain in control. Bella moved towards him standing in front of Edward even though he was acting strange, she did gasp though surprised when she felt his cool large hand slide along the length of the back of her leg and then looked at him wide eyed as his second hand took claim of her other leg.

"What are you..." Bella went to ask him what he was doing but felt her tongue grow useless as he massaged his fingers into the back of her legs and she all but became jelly right there standing between his legs as Edward chuckled softly tilting his chin up and kissing her jaw.

"I'm just letting myself enjoy you a little" Edward said softly.

"I know I should have asked before touching. I've never understood the appeal when I've seen the thoughts in the minds of other's. I can certainly see the appeal in a set of legs now though" Edward said playfully as Bella's cheeks only heated more as Edward released one of her legs and shifted back to throw the cover back slightly. Lifting Bella around her hips and putting her onto the bed quickly as she held her hand over her mouth to stop the squeal from being heard by her parents. Edward placed another kiss on Bella's cheek as he positioned her under the covers and tried to tuck her in as Bella reached out to stop him.

"You aren't leaving are you" she asked suddenly worried that he'd leave her she was so happy to finally have him back, so excited at this new attitude about himself. She felt like he was being more himself then he'd ever allowed her to see before and it only made her love him more, seeing these moments where he was more like the seventeen year old he'd been frozen as.

"No love I didn't plan on leaving. I've missed being beside you at night. I've missed being allowed to hold you" Edward said moving his hand to caress her cheek smiling down at her as she rested back onto her pillows.

"Will you then?" Bella said in a whisper pulling back the cover as an invitation, though in the past they'd always had an unspoken agreement that Edward would lie above the covers with her it been something she'd never completely understood.

"Hold me. I don't care about you being too cold or too hard" she said knowing his excuses in the past that he'd given for keeping the cover between them as she slept.

Edward kicked off his shoes then moving to climb under the covers with Bella, it seemed humours that for all the nights they'd shared together they'd never been like this together. It was all worth it for the smile that it caused on Bella's face to Edward the moment he slipped into the bed and wrapped his arm around her middle pulling her body back to him. It didn't matter to him that he couldn't sleep that he'd simply stay there doing nothing but holding her. He'd thought for a moment days ago he'd never feel this pleasure ever again when her heart had slowed. Now as he lay curled up behind her, his chest against her back his hand softly threading through her hair as he stroked it back gently and he watched. Watched her breathing even out until those beautiful eyes he adored so much fluttered closed and she fell to sleep nestled close to his body. All his fears had washed away with the time he'd spent with her, they'd come back to each other and even though he'd done things he knew she'd never wanted and taken people from her life she'd cared about she still loved him.

It was a weight lifted from his shoulders as he accepted that they would love each other no matter what came between them, so that was how he remained through the night watching over her. Holding her and loving her through every soft sound that moved past her lips, every sigh or shift and he moved to accommodate her so she wasn't ever uncomfortable. Then during the early hours of the morning Edward finally rested his head back with Bella and closed his eyes, Edward closed his eyes and let himself fall into a meditative state, almost. The sounds that his enhanced hearing picked up finally faded away and then he listened to his other sense. The power he'd always denied. With the comfort and closeness of Bella he didn't feel scared and there Edward reached out, he let his mind channel his entire attention on his gift.

He listened to the dreams of humans all around, he heard the thoughts of his own family on his consciousness, and then he reached further, Edward reached out and he found himself hearing everything. Miles of land travelled with his mind jumping from mind to mind not looking for anything directly just seeing, finally letting himself see that he was capable of. Alice and Eleazer had both been right, even then his potential seemed never ending in his reach, it was scary and exciting to him at just how far he may be able to push his mind when he allowed himself to focus and listen. Even then as he reached out it felt different, his mind reading it felt like he could feel a tangible essence that stretched and accommodated to his will. There was something deeper in his own mind, something he'd not unlocked yet but he could feel it there. He'd need to practice.

Edward sighed happily his face pressed into Bella's hair and he inhaled her scent and kept her close to him and remained with his eyes closed. Savouring these moments, soon enough she'd never sleep again and they'd have no need for these intimate moments, he'd have to find other ways to keep her close like this and he believed he already had the solution to such a need.

In the Cullen home Alice finally saw a vision around the blackness that had taken claim of her gift since the first attack on her family and it was of her brother. Of him holding Bella in her sleep and for a moment she'd almost believed Edward was asleep too, with his eyes closed to the world with his face more relaxed then she'd ever seen him. He seemed peaceful and content and it brought a happy sound to her as she saw that he was finally becoming free of his own struggles. He was finally becoming the man she'd seen in her visions all those decades ago when she'd woken up to this world. She didn't know what the future held for them all right in this moment, with so many choices still needing to be made by so many outside of her family and even within it. One thing that was clear to her finally though, was that she believed Edward had finally became the man he was always meant too, now all they had to do was survive the threats and then. Just maybe they'd really have the family they'd all longed for with no longer needing to look over their shoulders for threats.

She believed in Edward, believed in him enough to have waited her whole existence for him to finally take his rightful place beside Bella as the leaders of their coven. She had never felt more rewarded as she did then seeing the man she loved as a brother free of the prison that had held him captive for so long.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N Hey everyone, Hope you guys are all doing well. I'm sorry I didn't get this up sooner but things have been a little busier in real life, hopefully I'll be starting a new job this week. Don't worry though I promise not to stop me from getting this story finished, I'm still writing along and I've got a decent amount ready to be uploaded once it's edited. I do need to apologise though this chapter wasn't Beta'd so any mistakes that I've missed I'm sorry for. I've read it over a few times but I'm sure you know sometimes little things slip past.**

 **I would like to make a quick note to one of my readers _TrillionSchiffer_ has informed me that in the next update of Trillion's story there will be a recommendation for this story. That's huge so a massive thank you _TrillionSchiffer_. And any of you guys who haven't read Trilion's stuff you real should check it out, I've heard some incredible things and I am about to start Trills first story _New Eclipse_. There is already a sequel for it by the name of _Horizon_ too so please all of you check out Trillion's work.**

 **I'll leave you guys to the next chapter. Hopefully all things going well I may be able to get Chapter Eleven to you before the end of this week. Enjoy and let me know what you guys think.**

 **RED DAWN**

 **SUMMARY:** Edward had always warned Bella that the pack were dangerous. Hostile, volatile and aggressive in nature. She ignored him, testing even Edward's own vampire instinct by staying friends with his enemy, Jacob. One event will change them all, Bella never truly understood the supernatural world. Didn't understand the aggression that lay dormant even in her controlled mate until it was too late. Warning: Violence and Character death.

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the Characters.**

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 **Chapter Ten**

Bella slowly stirred as she was twisted in her covers feeling the firm body that she was nestled up against. It took her a moment to remember that she was no longer in hospital, and in her own bed. She'd fallen to sleep quickly once she'd settled under the covers the night before with Edward joining her. Bella's smile widened a little shyly then thinking of his closeness, of his touch. Almost wide enough was her smile, that it caused a slight sting against the stitches on her face. Even amongst the horrible tones of some of the conversation they'd shared she still couldn't quite believe that she'd felt so happy. There had always in the past been secretiveness about everything Edward revealed. She knew it came from a place of love, but she felt more an equal and his partner when he didn't shield her from things. When he let her know and adjust to what was being said to her, and then there had been the way he'd kissed her. She'd never believed that they'd share that type of intimacy even though she'd pushed for more, for them to make love before she was changed she'd not believed it would happen.

The way Edward had kissed her last night, then the way he'd looked at her with his dark seductive eyes as he'd held onto the back of her thighs she knew it wasn't so unlikely. She'd never felt more desirable and attractive in that moment when he'd appeared so playful and ready to take hold of her and take her, then in that very moment. When he'd pulled her into the bed she'd almost hoped that they'd try then. That Edward would show her just how much he wanted to enjoy touching her. She knew she was too tired though and knew that he was more than likely not going to push that part of their relationship too soon. It was enough though, hearing him tell her he was ready to give her more, that he was ready for them both to have more. It made her love Edward even more with how he made her feel especially when she'd almost broken down at the sight of her body when she'd changed in the bathroom. How he'd made her feel so special even when she'd moments before felt hideous and unworthy of him. She'd have to face those insecurities, they'd both have to stop letting insecurities cause them to have so many miscommunications.

Bella blinked away her sleep and turned her chin up to find Edward laying back on her pillow, she grinned at the way his chest raised with his breathing. Even if it seemed too relaxed for a humans breathing. His eyes were closed and his lips turned up in a slight smile, those beautiful long eyelashes that shouldn't ever be allowed for a man resting there. Anyone would have believed he was sleeping as he continued to lay there relaxed and content. Bella smiled pressing a kiss over his chest and he felt warmer under her lips then she was used to. She took the chance as he pretended to be asleep to look over him, his clothes rumpled from laying in bed with her all night but his shirt a little too high revealing the bottom of his toned muscled stomach. Bella had felt her mouth go dry at the perfect slither of pale skin and daringly reached out, her mind remembering him touching her and feeling justified to touch his skin on show.

Bella shifted closer against his side as her hand hovered slightly still a little unsure as she chewed on her bottom lip nervously. Then finally trailing her fingertips over the skin there that was on show. She watched Edward's face seeing that he'd leant further back into the pillow beneath his head as she touched him and grew braver. Her hand daring to slip further underneath his shirt now and tracing along the rigged lines of his stomach, he was so beautifully sculpted she couldn't believe there was a man on this earth who was as finely made as her Edward. She felt like a child with a new toy with the way she dragged her nails over his stomach feeling the rock hard muscles over his stomach tighten and then heard the sound of Edward moan in his throat.

"That feels incredible" Edward said finally parting his eyelids and looking down at Bella as she kept her hand beneath his shirt running over his skin, her small warm hands felt like nothing he'd ever imagined.

"It does" Bella grinned in agreement as she took his words as invitation not to stop, her hand continuing to run along his skin, Edward's arm around her tightening and his large hand squeezing her hip.

"Kiss me" Edward demanded in a mock order as he gently moved Bella to lay on him and brought his hand up to tilt her chin and captured her lips against his.

They kissed then deeply and passionately all but forgetting everything around them once again, two teenagers happily allowing the beginnings of something much more than simply kissing. Both being completely consumed, by the pleasure and thrill of new grounds being found between them. Both feeling completely free, and yet wild at the same time. There was no fear of dangerous vampires, or shifting wolves to worry about as they were still tangled between the sheets, lips locked and hands wondering mindlessly. They finally broke apart both breathing a little ragged even for Edward who didn't need breath found himself inhaling deeper. His hands once again had found and worked their way to the uncovered skin of the back of her thighs as Bella nibbled softly at his Adam's apple. Edward was aware just enough to know that both Bella's parents were already up and that Bella's mom, Renee was thinking about coming upstairs to check on Bella. He knew while he wanted to continue that he'd need to at least for Bella's parents have to appear to have arrived, he'd need to get his car and a fresh change of clothes.

"I'm never going to get tired of that" Bella said as Edward enjoyed the quickened pace of her racing heart as she was pressed against him feeling the beat of it in his very body as if he still had a heart that could race.

"I'm glad. Especially, considering our plans of forever. It be rather disheartening to realise a decade in that you'd grown bored of my kissing" Edward said teasingly his hands slipping high on the back of her thighs following the curve of her bottom, and he laughed deeply at the wide eyed shocked expression that had washed over her beautiful face.

"I don't think you really know what we've started here love. I've had a century of waiting for you, for waiting for this. I hope you're prepared" Edward said in fake warning his hands rested on her panties covered backside while Bella wiggled against his hands.

"Maybe it's you who should be warned. You know what they say about today's youth and their wild libidos. You come from a much reserved age Edward, I wouldn't want to scare you" Bella bit back with her own jab at not only his age but the reserved way in which he'd presented himself all along with her. It made the idea of having to ever leave this bed all the more unpleasant he'd have been happy to remain here for the rest of their eternity together.

"Perhaps that would have held true were I human. Fortunately or unfortunately however you may see it my love. I'm not human. I'm a vampire, a vampire with an unending amount of stamina who never grows tired and has no need for sleep" Edward said his hand squeezing her bottom earning a soft peel of laughter from Bella as he captured it muffling the sound with his lips as he kissed her once again.

"So when I'm like you we could go for hours? Just keep going?" Edward grinned as Bella broke away from their kiss to question him on sex within his kind, and oh how he wanted to tell her. How he couldn't wait for the day that they finally came together both vampire's for the first time, to seal that bond they had as mates.

"Not hours love. Try days, weeks even" Edward chuckled at her gaping mouth and tucked his finger under her chin to close her mouth for her, then kissing her forehead.

"Of course we'd go hungry but if we were to say, be deep enough out in the wild we could just grab something to go then get back to what we were doing" Edward wiggled his eyebrows in a way that he was sure would have made even the likes of Emmet proud.

"What have you done with my Edward" Bella asked somewhat seriously as she gazed at him lovingly.

"It's me. Alice and a few others have made something clear to me recently. I've been so scared of you seeing me for all that I am. Knowing me in ways not a soul on this planet knows me. They challenged me told me I could never be who I'm supposed to be, who you deserve if I continued hiding myself. Pretending to be something I'm not. You told me last night you'd love me no matter the colour my eyes were and I guess it was all the proof I needed what a fool I've been. To hide my thoughts, to hide my desires, my fears and my dreams. We're mates I have nothing to fear with you Bella, and you having nothing to fear from me. Not even the monster" Edward cupped her cheek as he tried to explain to her the somewhat change in himself, he'd always told her how hard change was for his kind.

Perhaps he'd been wrong in that respect, maybe vampires were so used to being constant they never allowed themselves to change. He was ready now though, ready to stop mourning and fearing and hindering every possible happiness he could have in this life and just be more like those in his family. Even Rose who was burdened just as much by this life felt so much happiness in other parts of her life. He'd been wasting this second life. No longer, not when he had Bella to share it with.

"I never feared you Edward" Bella said confidently just showing Edward how much faith she had always held in him and his nature, and it was true from the very beginning she'd never believed he'd harm her.

"And I'll forever be grateful that you don't. That even now that you see me, know what I'm capable of and you still don't fear me. It makes me feel like I've been gifted something very precious" Edward pecked the corner of her lips sweetly hearing that Renee had finally made the decision to come and at least wake Bella, sure that she'd have made an appearance by now if she was awake.

"Renee is coming upstairs. I don't want to leave you but if we're going to have you meet the rest of my family, I'll need to get my car and a change of clothes so I can come back here" Edward shifted Bella off him and then slipped his legs off the bed turning back around slightly and pressing a long lingering kiss against her lips smiling crookedly.

"I'll be back soon love" Edward promised.

"You better" Bella feigned seriousness and then felt the swift movement of air as Edward blurred from his position beside her bed, and felt the strange girly giggle leave her lips as she held the cover to hide her face. She thought she should feel guilty for everything that was happening and not feel so happy, the changes in Edward the new laid back and happier demeanour around each other. She'd never seen him so, so easy going and the way he allowed things to move further still had her body tingling in all new exciting ways.

"Days. Weeks" Bella said to herself shaking her head even while still hiding under her cover, she wasn't ashamed of her thoughts linger on making love to Edward.

It had been something she'd wanted slowly more and more as time had gone by, now he was completely open to the idea and even open to changing her. It felt all too wrong that it had taken the death of her friend for this change to come about but she didn't believe that was the only reason it had. She wouldn't, she refused to feel guilty for her happiness, especially when Edward was so happy too she'd not let her own worries ruin this for them both. She knew Edward had carried so much self doubt and loathing for too long and now when he was showing signs of letting go and opening himself more she didn't want to risk ruining that for him.

"Well someone seems awfully happy this morning" Bella stiffened at the sound of her mother's voice moving the covers off her face to peer over them at Renee standing in her doorway.

Bella wasn't sure how she'd opened the door she'd been positive that she'd locked it last night before getting into bed, Edward must have unlocked it knowing Renee was coming up the stairs. Bella didn't know how to feel about that, if she should feel annoyed he'd set her up or thankful for how considerate he was if he'd done it so she didn't have to get out of bed. All she did know was that her face felt very warm and she couldn't help grow even more embarrassed as Renee looked at her half knowing the other half amused by the way she'd come in to find Bella reacting. Her mature daughter had never resembled a giddy teenage girl more than in the moment she'd just caught.

"I take it that reaction means you heard from Edward?" Renee asked resting her hand on her hip watching her daughter's reaction, even though Bella groaned humiliated by being caught and pulling the cover over her head to hide away from Renee. She'd known Renee had always longed for that daughter mother relationship. That spoke about boys and clothes, but Bella before she'd moved to Forks had never been interested in boys and even now didn't care much for clothes, much to Alice's dismay.

"Come on Bella don't be shy. I'm happy to see you so happy." Renee moved to Bella's bed sitting on the edge of it and placing her hand on the lump under the sheets that was her daughter shaking her slightly at Bella's shoulder.

"It's embarrassing" Bella said from under the covers even now feeling the need to tell Renee to get off of Edward's side of the bed because she knew right now it would smell like him and she didn't want Renee's perfume ruining that. Edward had kissed the smarts right from her she decided in that moment, stupidity inducing kisses. She wasn't nearly awake or aware enough to fend off her mother's questioning.

"You're in love its beautiful baby. I've always wanted that for you. I never get to see you all giddy and in love and Charlie wouldn't know it even with it right under his nose" Renee said refusing to leave as Bella pulled the cover down huffing seeing Renee grinning even wider now and still with that all knowing look, Bella wished Edward was here so he'd know what her mother was thinking.

"I spoke to him. We worked things out. He wants to take me to his house and introduce me to his cousins. They came when they heard I got hurt" Bella said but if Bella knew her mother, and she did very well Renee would have much preferred the reality instead of the lie. Renee would have loved the idea of her acting like a normal teenage girl and kissing her boyfriend behind her parents back. That was just the way Renee was. She was a true romantic and where Bella had always had a love for reading she knew it stemmed from her mother's love for romance novels. It was one of the few things in common they shared.

"Yeah Esme told me about them. It's very nice of them to come all that way. They all seem like a very close family all the Cullen's, they think the sun rises and sets with you" Renee teased enjoying seeing her daughter squirm a little.

"You should come down get some breakfast before you get ready for when Edward comes to get you" Renee said leaning over and kissing Bella's cheek and then moving off her bed and walking towards the door.

"Oh and Bella" Renee turned around, still grinning widely and then throwing something towards Bella as she flinched away as a leather wallet landed on her lap. Bella eyes widening, while recognising it instantly.

"Next time you have Edward stay the night make sure he doesn't leave any evidence" Renee winked, Bella's face only turned a brighter shade, almost at a loss for words.

"Mom it isn't what you..." Bella wasn't sure how to work a lie around it because it was clearly Edward's wallet, and he'd not been in the house except for downstairs as far as Charlie knew, he'd never stepped foot in her room.

"Baby I might be getting old but I'm no dummy. That smile and little giggle, that wasn't from a conversation. Just make sure that Charlie doesn't catch you two and please make sure you make that boy use protection. He's very beautiful and I can understand getting carried away but I am in no way ready for you and him making me a grandmother" Renee warned but even in her warning there was amusement as she took great pleasure in having caught Bella, her normally very mature child breaking her father's rules and sneaking a boy into his house.

"Oh god mom, please" Bella moved her hands to cover her face shaking her head wanting the ground to open up and swallow.

Bella suddenly believing that this was the reason why, Edward didn't get under the covers. It must have slipped out of his pocket while he'd been in bed with her and he'd not noticed that he'd lost it amongst the kissing and touching, and whatever else he'd been doing in her bed when she'd slept. Bella could hear Renee still laughing as she left her room heading back down the stairs. The only good thing about the entire situation had been that it hadn't been Charlie to have found it. Bella knew that had it been Charlie, all that progress with him would have gone up in flames with him finding out his daughter was sneaking Edward in at night. He'd probably put bars on the window if he ever learnt that Edward was using it to get in most nights, not that it would hinder Edward's ability of finding a way into the house. Bella didn't believe there was a manmade object on the face of the planet that hoped to stand between Edward getting to her if it was what he'd wanted. She was starting to see that now. Edward would cross the house threshold, even when Charlie had threatened him when they returned from Italy. He'd crossed the line of the treaty agreement to rescue her and she knew without a shadow of a doubt when it came to her, Edward would cross any line given to him to keep them together.

Even the lines she didn't believe herself capable of crossing.

Bella looked down, back at the wallet that had given both her and Edward away to Renee and turned it over moving to close it and put it somewhere Charlie wouldn't see, until she could give it back to Edward. Her attention though was caught as she saw the smallest of laminated corners that was far too thin to be any type of card. Usually she'd have felt guilty for looking but with it just sitting there she wondered what type of picture Edward would possibly carry in his wallet. Not believing he was the type to carry a memento like that, especially with his constant need to remain hidden. Bella slowly pulled it free and gasped at the small blurred image, she felt emotionally exhausted and like she'd cried a thousand tears for everything that had happened but the picture.

This picture both made her heart warm and ache for Edward. She'd always wondered what he'd have looked like human. He'd always warned her, the reason for needing to disappear after the changes was the differences in appearance. This small laminated image was of Edward, he couldn't have been much younger then the age he was changed at she could tell. His face was slightly more rounded and childlike but it was still him, still so very handsome with hair still untamed and a mess. She'd never seen Edward dressed outside of the clothing she knew he'd likely been given by Alice, so seeing him in this very old fashioned and somewhat unappealing little running outfit brought a wistful smile to her face.

It was the two people standing at his side though, those made her ache for him. Even in the image she could tell they were his parents. The beautifully elegant woman with hair tired up in a bun with a few strands that seemed to be loose from the wind was clearly Edward's mother, Elizabeth. On his other side a stockier man shorter then Edward with a thick neck and broad shoulders that screamed that he was an imposing figure but an easy going smile on his face and thin moustache, Edward's father Edward Senior. It pained her to see him still human here, celebrating with that crooked smile even then, with his parents who she knew he still missed and loved. She could understand looking at this picture how Carlisle and Esme had feared he'd been changed too young. Had been worried about the burden that he'd had to carry being frozen at such a young time in his life, a reason Edward himself had given for wanting Bella to consider remaining human just a few more years. He'd been part of a family for a century since this picture and yet she knew he'd felt alone, seeing that he'd kept this image of them made her wish she'd somehow found him sooner.

It made her wonder what would have happened if Isabella Swan had met Edward Anthony Masen junior in 1918 and not here in the present. She knew that answer though. She'd have fallen head over heels with the boy in the dreadful shorts and with an adoring love for his parents. She'd have loved human Edward just as much as her Edward. Before placing the picture back into its place within Edward's wallet she kissed her fingertip pressing it to his smiling human face. Wanting more than anything to suddenly know more about not only Edward but the human parts he always kept so tightly held to his chest.

Edward made quick time, even for him at getting back to his home, he was found with some of his siblings in the living room with both Kate and Tanya. The moment he'd stepped into his home he'd heard the teasing and taunts, already prepared for him in the minds of his siblings he'd noticed they'd been having a conversation about him and Bella's relationship. The sisters both very interested in the prospect that Edward the century old virgin may have allowed his virtue to become compromised made them both intrigued to meet the human. It had been very openly discussed topic in the past that both sisters had been more than willing to break him in, as they'd often referred to it. They hadn't earned the myth of succubus's for no reason after all and those first meetings between their respective families, had been awful from Edward's point of view anyway. Kate had been the most cunning of them all, she'd lulled him into a false sense of comfort masking her original thoughts then making him for a moment believe her initial thoughts on his attractiveness had waned to just wanting to be friends. He'd almost caught her errant thoughts of kissing him too late, he'd then politely excused himself and she'd not pursued him much further. Tanya had been a different story, she was aggressive and domineering in her personality and was completely not used to rejection. Her subtle but very effective talent, that seemed to go all but unnoticed by others around her, finding an opponent it could not work its influence over.

The more he'd refused the more she tried, as the years had gone on she'd been the only one to remain interested that had been until the day he'd gone to Alaska to hide from Bella's scent. He'd already been in love with her then, too blind to recognise it for what it was but Tanya had seen that change and then sent him on his way. She'd convinced him to face what was haunting him and he'd forever be grateful to her for convincing him to return to Forks.

Now though both Kate and Tanya were simply eager to be allowed to tease Edward for finally being on the edges of finally giving up something they'd once considered a prize. They had both planned on congratulating Bella on meeting her for winning but he hoped deeply that they'd refrain themselves from saying anything. He'd not helped his own case by playing at Emmet's own game, mentioning make up sex before he'd freed them up from guarding Bella's home the evening before. The one person who could have told them all that Edward and Bella's night had remained very tame in comparison to what some had imagined had remained completely silent. Alice had opted to not help Edward with what he was about to face and he'd be sure to remember this for the future. When Edward finally moved into the living room Emmet was up and out of his chair standing in front of him with a wide grin and mischievous eyes. Emmet's intentions, all too clear from his thoughts, as Edward saw them loudly amongst the other internal voices in the living room from his family.

"So do I need to have Carlisle check over Bella I can't imagine that after a century of tension things didn't end with her at least popping a hip out of place" Emmet said loud enough that Edward believed he might have been trying to get every person within the houses attention to what he was saying.

"While I'd like to amuse you further I've only come by to change my clothes and collect my car. I'm bringing Bella to the house to meet the rest of our family" Edward shook his head moving around Emmet and further into the room.

"Don't need a shower to wash off what you did last night? Or did this morning's events lead to some shared shower time?" Emmet tried again as his siblings laughed Edward reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose

"Nothing happened last night. I am still pure and untouched if you must know. When and if Bella and I complete our bond it'll be none of anyone's business. She only got out of hospital yesterday and I'd much prefer keeping her out of hospital for the foreseeable future, thank you" Edward said in a tone that left little argument though he could see Tanya's arched eyebrow and puckered lips.

"While you say there was no sex last night. You certainly smell of lust and human Edward. It's practically covering your own scent seems to me while there may have been no sex it didn't mean both didn't want there to be" Tanya challenged as Emmet laughed loudly slapping Edward on the back roughly as he shook his head at them all, they clearly had far too much time on their hands that this had been what they'd turned to talking about.

"So not as much of a prude as we thought" Emmet added wiggling his eyebrows at Edward, while Edward shrugged his shoulders free of Emmet's hand.

"And with that note I'm going to get ready to collect Bella. I don't think I need to warn any of you should you try and embarrass her the way you have tried with me, things will not end pleasurably for you all. Today if you should attempt to make my Bella uncomfortable" Edward said daring any of them to try and bring this up around Bella, he didn't want his family scaring her off and he certainly didn't want her to become self conscious about the intimate parts of their relationship.

She'd learn all too soon about how little privacy there truly was being part of a family full of vampire's, especially when some of them had talents that gave them a very detailed look at such things. Edward knew that burden as much as any with his intimate visuals he garnered from their minds, he saw in his mind through their eyes, he could hear the words unsaid and could feel the phantom touches shared. It hadn't been easy being the only one unmated amongst a house of couples for decades of his life, while he'd never voiced his desire for a mate and refused all attempts, he'd wanted someone. Waited and yearned with an aching loneliness for the time when he'd finally have his other half, last night had truly meant so much to him. Even though Bella had slept leaving him for hours throughout the night as he laid awake he'd never felt closer to someone as he had while he held her and allowed himself to just be happy.

As Edward thought on this, on how truly happy he had been with Bella last night as they'd shared that special moment curled together. Not human and vampire, but man and woman, he thought of that long ago desire that he'd tried to convince her to accept. He'd placed the thought out there trying to hide how much he'd wanted it and while he knew Bella's reluctance he couldn't help that pressing fantasy of having it still. He'd told her once before of what marriage meant to him, of how modern society may view it as something as insignificant as a document or piece of paper. It had always carried so much more meaning to him. Raised within a loving religious family marriage had been the ultimate sign of love and commitment to Edward. It was something he still very much wanted, he almost found himself opening the velvet case that held his mother's engagement ring. It was old fashioned and held lots of tiny sapphires and diamonds in the round setting, he couldn't remember his father giving it to his mother but he knew it wasn't the ring he'd given her when they'd first gotten engaged. Edward had in his early life made sure to bury his mother with that ring, she'd loved both but even in the extravagance and expense of the ring he had now that she'd worn nearing the end of her life she'd always loved the one his father had scraped and battered to buy more.

As Edward stood there in his room holding his mother's engagement ring he tried to imagine it on Bella's small hand glistening with her dressed all in white. Watching her rosy cheeks and bottom lip chewing between her teeth as Charlie walked her down the aisle to him. Of turning to see Carlisle standing at his side as his best man and finally being together, married before god and for once truly doing this right.

"You're going to ask her right?" Alice said startling Edward almost as he turned to look at his almost leaping out of her skin sister. She was excited to see the ring out again. She'd seen countless visions of him deciding to ask Bella over the last year before they'd left and then again when they'd returned.

"You'd know the answer to that surely Alice" Edward teased trying to hold of talking to Alice about it knowing full well how little she had been able to see recently. He knew he shouldn't joke about it though, while it wasn't malicious intent with what he'd said he knew how deeply upsetting it was for Alice to be blind in situations she was used to seeing beforehand so she could guide or interfere however she deemed best.

"You'd have to make up your mind for me to even hope to see anything and that isn't likely with everything that's going on. I was lucky to see just you and Bella last night cuddling" Alice said while Edward could see the vision she'd had of him holding Bella in his arms both eyes closed to the world in bed together.

"I think my mind was made up the moment I laid eyes on her Alice" Edward said more seriously than, setting aside to keep Alice in the dark like he would have usually especially with her incapable of willing visions to appear.

"When Carlisle gave me this back a few weeks after I awoke to this life I remember thinking I'd never find anyone worthy of it. For what woman on this earth could love a monster, even then I knew on some level she'd have to be human. For all myself loathing of course I'd not fall in love with a vampire" Edward chuckled as he shook his head closing the box of his mother's engagement ring, of the ring he hoped Bella would accept as her own soon.

"Bella was everything you need. Kind, selfless, forgiving. Silent mind, human she's the counter to every argument you could have held against her. She's innocent and good and what you deserve" Alice said moving closer to Edward and resting a hand over his closed fist that held the ring in its palm.

"It's about time you made an honest woman of her too. You've been a bachelor far too long Edward time to settle down" Alice laughed softly as Edward smiled down at her crookedly.

"And it isn't the wrong time. With all I've done recently. With what I'm going to continue to do. Shouldn't I allow her the freedom to leave should she find herself unable to look past it?" Edward asked and even though he didn't want Alice to tell him he shouldn't try to tie Bella down he needed to hear that he was doing the right thing. He wanted this so much, wanted it more than anything.

"You've already made up your mind Edward" Alice grinned even wider then as Edward looked at her contemplating what she said and then nodding as he agreed. She'd not come here because Alice had seen nothing she'd come here because she'd seen that he'd decide on asking Bella, of course Alice wouldn't know the result in the answer because that rested on Bella. She'd always been against it in the past, she'd never had much belief in marriage before and had used many excuse to why it wasn't needed.

"You'll distract her so I can do this right then?" Edward asked Alice knowing if he was going to do this today he needed to talk to Charlie and Renee.

For all the teasing of him being old fashioned, he was a man of his own time period and he held this all very highly in regard of what was considered appropriate and respectful. If he wanted to ask Bella to marry him he'd need her parents blessing, he'd need to first ask them and he knew while they could say no he'd still ask but he'd at least need to speak with them first.

"Come on" Alice tip toed and pecked at Edward's cheek grinning and spinning away from him.

"If we get there soon enough we might catch her before she's decided what she's going to wear" Alice decided, though Edward knew that he'd need to remind his ever persistent sister that Bella would need to dress rather for comfort then fashion with her stitches still new and the wound still somewhat fresh they didn't want her irritating the injury.

Before Edward knew what hit him Alice had given him clothes to change into and they were already heading back towards the Swan home in Edward's Volvo. Alice was already making arrangements for what they'd want for the wedding and he didn't have the heart to explain to her that he doubted the wedding would take place in Forks. They still had both threats to deal with and they'd have to leave after that, there would be no choice in the matter or else risking exposure. Edward also knew Bella and he knew her complete loathing of being the centre of attention, so she'd not want something big he safely assumed. Edward was nervous most though on what Bella would say, they loved each other, they wanted to be together for eternity but she'd wanted that before but still held a very negative view of marriage. He could only hope that her mind had changed over the last few months that perhaps she'd come around to the idea of not only being his mate but his wife too. They'd be bound to each other then in both the supernatural world and the human one, it would be a final goodbye to Charlie and Renee also. To see Bella walk down the aisle to him to witness their daughter get married before they lost her, before they had to fake her death and have Bella vanish from their lives forever. Edward wished that there was some way around it knowing how it would hurt Bella, there wasn't though and he knew the sacrifice Bella was making to be with him. Edward could only be thankful Bella deemed him worth making those sacrifices for a life with him forever.

Edward pulled his car up behind Charlie's cruiser and found himself exhaling around his nerves. He'd faced down the threat of wolves without much of a thought, and yet here facing Charlie and Renee was worrying him. He'd known the lengths in which Charlie's opinion had come of him in the recent days since Bella being hospitalized. Edward wanted them to accept him. Wanted them to see him as worthy of their daughter, knowing that they trusted him with her it would certainly make him feel more comfortable knowing that at least when he took her away from them they'd at least been happy with them being together. He knew he'd never be able to explain to them that Bella was his one and only, they'd not be able to understand it in a human regard. Human's divorced, remarried and people at Bella's age marrying never lasted often both Charlie and Renee were examples of this. Edward couldn't explain to them that vampire's didn't divorce because they never fell out of love with their mate. It was ever lasting it was unconditional and unbreakable. It was till death in every literal sense of the word.

Edward tried to ignore Alice's amusement in the way he was dealing with this as she rolled her eyes and climbed out of his car ahead of him. Edward moved to join Alice as they stood on the Swan house front porch and Renee opened the door to them both smiling widely.

"Alice, Edward it's great to see you this morning" Renee grinned and moved to hug Alice and then even moved to Edward, pulling him down into a hug too.

"Bella said you were going to be introducing her to the rest of your family. You've got cousins in town?" Renee said opening the door wide and waving the both of them inside the house.

"Yes, our Aunt and Uncle have brought our cousin to visit. They wanted to be close by if we needed anything while Bella was recover" Alice filled in as Edward nodded and smiled still trying to form the words in his mind of what he was about to say.

"That's very nice of them. It really makes me happy knowing Bella has a big extended family here when I'm not around. I worry, leaving her and Charlie alone up here" She said and it was evident from her mind that she missed having Bella around, while she'd never want to take Bella away from Forks now she did regret ever letting her leave. Renee felt like she was missing large milestones of her daughter's life by not being present for them.

"Bella went upstairs to change you can wait down here for her. We've got coffee if you want a cup or I can grab you kids a soda" Renee offered as she walked in the direction of the kitchen both Edward and Alice following behind closely. Charlie looked up from the table still drinking his own coffee as he nodded and smiled at both Edward and Alice but pretty much stayed quiet.

"I was actually hoping I could speak to you and Charlie privately if that's okay?" Edward asked finally breaking his own silence he knew he wouldn't have much time and so he'd need to speak to them now. He turned to look at Alice letting her know he'd need her to go and distract Bella at least for a short time.

"I'll just go see if Bella needs help getting ready" Alice excused herself sending a mental good luck, to Edward through her thoughts as she skipped away from the kitchen and headed up the stairs to Bella's room.

"What is it sweetie?" Renee said taking a seat just across from Charlie as Edward looked between them both now watching him closely as he stood there. Edward sat down then across from the both of them, looking from Renee the easily more accepting of the two then Charlie but he knew Renee's complete desire to have Bella act young and free of responsibility might not work in his favour. Renee may be more against the marriage then Charlie.

"I wanted to speak to you both privately because I was hoping that I could have your permission. You're blessing to ask Bella to marry me" Edward said quickly not wanting to leave them waiting for him to get it out.

"I wanted you both to know that I love Bella very much. That I'd do anything to make her happy, it's all I want in the world to make her happy. With everything that has happened, it's only shown me just how much I want Bella to be mine for the rest of our lives. I don't want to waste a moment knowing that I've already found the love of my life. I know you both may have concerns but I just wanted you both to know that I'd always take care of her. I'd always give her whatever she wanted. I'd spend every day of my life trying to give her the type of life you both want for her" Edward found himself almost rambling on his own words as he tried to keep eye contact with the both of them as he asked for their blessing to ask Bella to marry him.

Edward found that he'd made both Charlie and Renee speechless. Charlie's mind had almost gone completely silent in his own surprise where Renee was thinking about how she'd expected this to be coming. Edward even saw the memory Renee had of this morning of Bella giggling under her sheets as she'd gone to check on her and Renee curiously wondered if Edward had already asked Bella during the night. That thought shocked Edward, as he found that he'd dropped his wallet amongst the sheets of Bella's bed while he'd been lying with her and Renee had found it and deduced that he had spent the night with Bella. Thankfully Charlie was unaware of this.

" _Very brave...first he stays the night. Then he asks both of us straight if he can have Bella's hand in marriage. So sweet, and young. So very handsome how does Bella say no... I doubt she does..."_ Renee's mind humoured at the last part not believing for a second that her daughter was possibly going to be wearing white on her wedding day.

Renee couldn't imagine a world where someone who looked like Edward hadn't already seduced her daughter in the time they had been in a relationship and marriage seemed to only prove her suspicions.

"Are you sure Edward? You and Bella are so young I know you both love each other very much but there isn't any rush. You could both wait a few years" Renee said not wanting to upset Edward knowing if Bella had already said yes that she'd risk ruining the relationship she had with her daughter if she hurt Edward. It wasn't that she was against them marrying but she couldn't help but look at them both and see herself and Charlie getting married too young and making so many mistakes. She wanted better not just for Bella but for Edward too.

"I'm completely sure Renee. I... when I found her. I thought I was going to have her taken from me. That I'd never get to tell her how much I wanted to be with her how much I loved her. Every day in that hospital was hell not knowing and then even after not knowing if she'd want me. I know that you're looking out for Bella. I know your worried about our age but I believe that Bella like me is a constant creature" Edward said using words he'd heard Charlie think in the past, he'd often heard Charlie referring to himself and Bella as constant creatures that was the Swan way they fell in love and that was that. Charlie hearing that finally opened up his own mind looking to Edward then, he'd certainly come around to having Edward around and while he wasn't going to deny worrying he knew that it came down to Bella and what she wanted. Charlie knew she'd want Edward, knew that if Edward asked his daughter, Bella would say yes. If he and Renee said no now, he knew Bella would eventually hear about it and that she'd be heartbroken by it, devastated by them not giving Edward their blessing.

"You'll take good care of my little girl" Charlie said more as a statement then a question as he cleared his throat the thought again of Bella as a little thing with pig tails and no front teeth filling his mind.

"With my life Charlie I swear" Edward rushed out

"You've got my blessing. We've had our rough parts you and I but I believe you'd do anything for Bella. I won't stand in the way, I agree that you're both young but if this is what you want I'll support that" Charlie said surprising Renee more than Edward, he'd seen the change that Bella's injuries had had on the man. How he'd known that opening himself up was the only way of salvaging his relationship with his daughter.

"Well I certainly can't be seen as the stricter parent. I wish you'd both wait but I don't for a second think you and Bella are going to drift apart. You have my blessing too" Renee said knowing that if Charlie would accept this that she'd be fine with it, she'd always believed Charlie to have a good gut instinct on most things he was a cop after all.

"Thank you Charlie... Renee it means a lot to me" Edward said relieved as he ran his fingers over the grain of wood on the kitchen table that his hands rested on as he exhaled a little and both Renee and Charlie chuckled a little at his expense.

"Do you have a ring?" Renee asked now her mind now accepting that Edward was going to ask Bella to marry him was excited at the thought of what would need to be planned for a wedding. She wondered about what Bella would want to wear for her dress, what kind of music they'd dance to as their first dance.

"Yes" Edward nodded then reaching into his pocket hearing both Alice and Bella upstairs above him still and pulling it out and flipping open the old velvet box to let both Charlie and Renee see the engagement ring.

"It was my birth mother's. She left it to me to give to the woman I'd spend my life with" Edward said as Renee gasped covering her mouth as she looked at it and Charlie gave out a low whistle.

"That's one hell of a ring kid. Bells isn't going to know what to do with herself" Charlie said impressed that Edward would have anything in his possession worth the kind of money that he assumed the ring would cost even knowing how well off the Cullen family was.

"It's beautiful. Old fashioned but it'll suit Bella perfectly. Your mother must have had very good taste" Renee said grinning looking at it a little awe struck.

"Expensive taste" Charlie said a little teasingly as Renee turned and smacked at his arm worried that Charlie would offend Edward by saying such a thing.

"It was in my family for a long time. Since the early 1900's passed on to the first son from the mother. It was actually my mother's second engagement ring. She loved it but always preferred her first ring over this" Edward said a little wistfully talking about his biological parents who he loved and missed, Elizabeth and Edward Masen they would always be a large part of him even though he was no longer human.

"I'm sure they'd both be very proud of the man you are Edward" Renee reached forward across the table and squeezing Edward's cold hand in reassurance and he couldn't help but smile at hopefully his future mother in law. Now all he had to do was ask Bella the question and hopefully she'd say yes, and make all of those dreams he'd long once believed impossible become reality. He'd never been one for strange superstitions but he found himself crossing his fingers under the table hoping beyond hope that she'd say yes and all would be right. He hoped Renee was right and that somewhere his mother and father could see him and he hoped he had made them proud, he at least knew they would approve of the woman he loved. They both would have loved Bella.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N Hey everyone, Okay I guess I'm spoiling you this week but I had some great news and it seems I've got the new job I want and start next week. I'm pretty excited but I still wanted to get some time aside for all of you and you've all been so great with my updating and letting me know what you all think so I've got this chapter to you early. Once again this chapter isn't Beta read so any and all mistakes are my fault and I do hope it doesn't spoil my writing for you guys. While I can't promise I really will try over the next few days to get another chapter up, don't worry though while I'm sure starting a new job is going to kick my ass I'll be sure to still get a chapter a week to you all. So I hope you all enjoy Chapter Eleven, I know a few of you have made comments about the storm that is coming. While I don't want to spoil anything for you I think it be a wise choice to invest in some raincoats guys, the weatherman has predicted storms coming our way ;)**

 **Once again make sure you all Check out _TrillionSchiffer's_ stories some of his readers are already finding my work and its great hearing from them. So welcome to any newcomers and all my regulars I'm so happy your still with me. Anyway I'll leave you to your reading.**

 **RED DAWN**

 **SUMMARY:** Edward had always warned Bella that the pack were dangerous. Hostile, volatile and aggressive in nature. She ignored him, testing even Edward's own vampire instinct by staying friends with his enemy, Jacob. One event will change them all, Bella never truly understood the supernatural world. Didn't understand the aggression that lay dormant even in her controlled mate until it was too late. Warning: Violence and Character death.

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the Characters.**

* * *

 **Chapter Eleven**

"Alice I am not going to change" Bella said a little past her own patients for Alice's normal high energy and exuberance when it came to clothes and trying to style Bella. Bella certainly didn't like being treated like she was some life sized doll for Alice's amusement.

"I'm comfortable in these. I doubt anything you try and put me in will improve how I look anyway" Bella said honestly, her face and neck covered in the dried stitched wounds now.

They looked awful. Bella had seen when she'd left the room this morning in the light of day just how her injuries were healing. She'd believed the injuries had looked bad but when she'd looked them over even closely after breakfast this morning she'd felt like she'd been hit in the gut with just how horrible they looked in the light of day. It hadn't helped Renee's constant pushing to talk about surgery, while Bella understood her mother meant well it had dampened her once giddy mood.

As soon as Bella had finally joined, both Charlie and Renee at the small kitchen table to grab herself some breakfast, Renee never one to be subtle about her opinion had lunged right into it. She'd commented on it bluntly and while Bella knew it wasn't in any way supposed to be seen as hurtful towards her, it had done that all the same. Having Renee comment on her poor beautiful face made Bella's stomach twist it had been the reason she'd left her half eaten bowl of cereal to go upstairs once she found a good enough excuse to leave. Bella hadn't had much of an appetite after that anyway, while she loved her mother she have much preferred Charlie's approach to the entire thing. She'd been thankful to his attempts to silence Renee about any issues with what the next steps were.

Bella understood that to Renee this was something that needed to be fixed. She knew that her mother wanted her to be happy and Bella was surprised to learn that her mother was slightly snobbish about appearance. She'd never noticed before. To Renee, Bella could only have a happy and normal life if she had the surgery to remove the scarring that would be on her body. Charlie had done his best to try and play interference but while he'd been openly more affectionate and talkative about those harder issues, he was still very much her silent none hovering father. It hadn't helped with her already growing insecurities about it. The thought of seeing more flawlessly beautiful woman who weren't paired off like those she knew, being around her and Edward she couldn't help that little thought that came to mind. The little voice that told her that Edward having Bella standing beside these unknown immortal beauties would finally see the truth.

She knew she couldn't let her fears get to her, not when Edward seemed to be moving forward in his own fears for her so they could be together. She'd need to talk to him. Bella knew that they'd need to talk about so much. They'd both made it clear the night before that they were together no matter what.

It wasn't going to excuse those feelings though, that they'd both felt before everything had blown up around them. They weren't essentially avoiding it but while they had both needed to simply be happy in the reunion she was at least mature enough to see they'd have to talk. That while they had touched on some of the issues that had been created from not communicating and making assumptions they'd still need to talk. She'd needed to understand how Edward had felt, and she'd finally needed to explain how she'd felt. It all just tied her stomach in knots and made her want to hide away from the world with Edward in her bedroom like they had last night. She didn't think it was the solution though. She'd tried not to think about his anger in the hospital and while they'd both apologised his anger was still in there somewhere just as she knew the hurt was inside her. Edward had opened the door to be more honest and have truthful communication last night when he'd revealed so much about the inner workings of the pack and the council. She hoped now that she'd be able to be just as brave as him and open up too. Bella had finally had her eyes opened to some of the deep hurt that she'd not allowed herself to see Edward carrying. She wouldn't let herself do that to them again over her injuries, she could trust him.

It was time for them to have a more adult and mature healthy relationship.

"Bella that's silly you look great I just think with the right style you could look amazing" Alice waved her hand over her shoulder as she continued looking through Bella's wardrobe. While Alice was honest in her opinion she knew she wouldn't really force Bella to change. She was playing her part for now while he brother spoke with Charlie and Renee.

"Alice, just stop okay. I have a mirror, I've seen how I look" Bella said the frustration getting to her and even feeling upset now as her eyes watered and she sat down on the end of her bed looking at Alice.

"You're beautiful Bella. I wish you could see that. I'd kill to look like you, to have long hair like yours that slightly rosy colour to your cheeks. It's no surprise Edward's so taken with you. Let's not forget you've actually got curves" Alice arched an eyebrow as Bella scoffed at her shaking her head and looking towards the door wishing that Edward had come up to get her instead of Alice. But she doubted Charlie would have left them up here all that long, or perhaps his shift in opinion on Edward might have allowed them to be here. She needed to give Edward his wallet, she knew that Renee had more than likely either mentioned it subtly by now or Edward had seen her thoughts instantly and known. She hoped it didn't make him change his mind on holding her beneath the sheets at night.

"You're crazy Alice, you are beautiful. Alice I'm plain I know that. Now with these..." Bella waved towards her face and neck, then even tugging on her shirt a little outwards and grimacing at the thought of anyone seeing her body beneath the shirt and its marks.

"I'm just glad that Edward doesn't seem to be completely disgusted by them and is still willing to be seen with me" Bella huffed moving her hand covered sleeve up to her face to wipe at the beginning of tears escaping her eyes. Alice moved to Bella then, and sitting beside her on her bed slipping an arm around her shoulders nudging her a little with her side.

"Of course Edward doesn't see them like that. He loves you Bella. You could have an extra limb, horrible overbite and a hunchback and he'd love you the same. These marks are still healing, and even then when they scar they won't be forever Bella. One day you'll be one of us, the change will make these fade and then you'll be beautiful if not more than the rest of us" Alice said trying to reassure her friend.

Alice hated Bella's lack of self esteem and often found it hard to understand where a pretty young girl had gained such a lack of self esteem from. She always compared herself and found herself lacking against anyone she decided to measure herself too but her view was highly skewered and biased against herself. Alice found it very upsetting in all reality of Bella's view on herself worth, it had been one of the reasons behind Alice's attempts to change the style of clothing Bella wore. In an attempt to somehow make her feel more comfortable and fashionable she'd hoped to give Bella a boost her own opinion of herself. Alice wondered if that would simply be a battle she'd have to entrust solely to Edward however. It seemed Bella only even remotely felt beautiful when it was Edward telling her so.

"In the last year you've matured so much. You may not see it but we all do. Edward especially, you've become more womanly in your figure and we've all enjoyed how it's tormented my brother. I was changed before I had that chance. I'm thankful everyday for Jasper and that he sees me as beautiful even though I'm not nearly as womanly as other's of our kind. Also my burden of having short hair, though I've certainly made it work for me" Alice said with a smile and face that made Bella grin back at her, the thought of her body tormenting Edward it pleased her knowing that the other Cullen's would know in ways she'd never understand what Edward felt. Especially with Jasper who could feel the emotions someone had.

"I'd kill to have the body that you do. Hips and boobs, could you imagine all the types of clothes I could add to my collection with assets like yours" Alice wiggled her eyes earning a peel of a giggle from Bella at that as she shook her head.

"Don't you mean Rosalie's assets?" Bella said teasingly knowing all too well that Rosalie was a blonde bombshell. It still shocked her that Rosalie the most beautiful woman Bella had ever seen was originally created intended with the purpose of being Edward's mate, the fact Edward had rejected her still amazed Bella.

"Oh please I wouldn't know where to even begin with a body like that" Alice laughed with a slight shake of her head as she pursued her lips.

"Just, please Bella don't let this get you down. You are a beautiful woman, Edward is lucky to have you and the scars. They aren't forever and even if they were it wouldn't change anything. You'd still be beautiful, that hasn't gone away because of these injuries" Alice said seriously then kissing her best friend on the cheek softly as Bella leant her head down to rest it slightly on Alice's small shoulder sighing gently.

"Thank you Alice. I guess I'm nervous about meeting Kate and Tanya. Two, single beautiful succubus's who want Edward" Bella said a little too harshly at the end. Bella had heard in the past all the teasing from Emmet about the Denali sister's and their sexually aggressive nature and the way in which they'd once pursued the man who Bella knew belonged to her.

"Please Bella don't even worry about it. Kate and Tanya are family. Yes they wanted him but don't for a second think they still do. Mating to our kind is sacred Bella. Tanya was always the more aggressive when it came to Edward, she didn't like the idea that a man could turn her down. It was more about the chase than anything else. She was thrilled when we told her Edward had found you." Alice explained as best she could to make Bella see that the two remaining sisters were in no way a threat to her or that they desired in any way to come between Bella and Edward.

"You made your claim on Edward all too clear anyway" Alice giggled as Bella turned her head away from Alice's shoulder to look at her confused, the question clear in her expressive chocolate brown eyes.

"We were all awaiting Edward's arrival back home this morning. Let's just say our sense of smell gives us a little idea of what took place here last night. While it was clear you didn't have sex, it was also very clear there had been a lot of lust between you too. We could smell you all over him, could smell the lust pouring away from Edward still. When you're like us, you'll see I'm surprised Edward could even pull himself away from you. When the scents of two mated vampires are merged like that they're normally insatiable and can't help but want one another. So when Edward came home this morning rumpled clothing, smiling and covered in your scent it was clear to any person in our family that he belonged to you" Alice told Bella watching as her cheeks heated slightly as she blushed that pretty shade of pink that was completely Bella from the embarrassment of Edward's family all knowing she'd been aroused. It made her feel good too though because it was more proof of Edward's needs too, more proof behind the very experience she'd shared with him the night before.

"We only kissed" Bella said a little defensively while not knowing why she needed to defend anything that Edward and she decided to do within the privacy of her own bedroom.

"I'm sure you did. I had a vision of the two of you" Alice caught the shocked and disturbed face on Bella, quickly realising what she may have interpreted what Alice had said in another way.

"No, nothing like that. I saw you both lying together. Edward looked like he was sleeping. Relaxed it was nice to see. You both looked so peaceful and content. You deserve that the both of you" Alice said then standing up from Bella's bed and offering her a hand.

"I have worried over the both of you for so long. And I know I've interfered many times when I shouldn't have. Or even when I didn't and I should have stepped in. For a long time I've lived in what I have seen coming instead of living in the now. While I hate struggling to see anything it's giving me the chance to stop living in, what should be and start living in, what is. I'm happy though, that you two have come together. I can't promise to know what the future holds for us Bella but I have to believe there is happiness for us somewhere in it. Trials are intended to test us. To push us harder then we believe we can handle. You and Edward have been tested so harshly, I can only believe that it'll make you both strong enough to have all the happiness you deserve" Alice said even then while believing it there was fear and Bella could see it in her friends eyes, Alice with her visions failing her for the first time in her existence. The thing that had once given her all the hope to find not only Jasper but the diet and family she'd learn to love unconditionally. It seemed Alice believed even now that there was reason behind her being tested, behind why now when her family needed her most her gift was failing her.

"Thank you Alice" Bella whispered smiling at her, feeling a great comfort in being able to spend some time with Alice to just talk and not feel worried about what she'd think of what she said. Alice would always be the best of friend Bella could have found, a sister in most respects.

"Let's not leave Edward with your parents for too long shall we. Plus it's time for you to meet our extended family. I know they are all very much looking forward to meeting you finally" Alice finished as Bella took Alice's hand nodding a little more confidently. She was still nervous and was worried about meeting these other animal drinking vampires, but she'd trusted what Alice said. And Bella knew that if Alice said that the others were no threat to the relationship she had with Edward, her insecurities would just have to step aside. Edward was hers.

"Let's go then" Bella said grabbing her jacket and making sure to take Edward's wallet to give back to him.

An awkward silence had surrounded Edward, Charlie and Renee after they'd spoken about his desire to ask Bella to marry him. While Edward had been grateful for them both being accepting of his intention to ask for Bella's hand in marriage. He could still see that Renee was a little bit concerned about the age. Renee didn't want Bella making the same mistakes she had and yet she could tell that both Bella and Edward really did love each other. She'd been excited about what type of wedding her daughter would want but Edward knew Bella well enough that if she was to agree to be his wife that she'd not want anything large. He could give her anything she wanted but he knew Bella and knew that she'd want something small and simple. Which would be perfect considering the situation they found themselves in, there was no possible way they could hope to have the wedding in Forks. Edward truly hoped that all would work out but he knew the likelihood of Bella being married in Forks wasn't a likely possibility, which he wasn't sure would upset her or not. Too many threats and he knew they couldn't even begin to think about setting up a wedding until after everything was dealt with. They'd have to leave soon after they'd dealt with both the pack and Victoria.

Edward had been thankful when Alice had finally come back down the stairs with Bella behind her as he'd moved quickly to join them, smiling at Alice as she rolled her eyes knowingly at him and Edward took Bella into his arms.

"I missed you" Edward whispered against her ear as he kissed her cheek with Bella's arms tighten around his neck. They lingered there for a moment holding each other when Edward could hear the excited thoughts of Renee behind him. Even with her concern about marrying too young Renee a wistful romantic at heart couldn't deny the effortless beautiful love that seemed to surround them both. Especially when they were so free with their affection towards each other, it made her miss home and her husband, Phil.

" _He's definitely already asked her. They're so head over heels I really hope they know what they're both doing. Hopefully she'll have the surgery before they set a date, wouldn't want her day to be remembered with those scars on her face..."_ Edward found himself growing slightly aggravated with the way Renee thought about Bella's injuries. He hoped Renee, not usually known for her tact hadn't said things like that to Bella directly. While he knew she wasn't being cruel it was easy to see how her saying something like that around Bella would harm Bella's already fragile self esteem.

"I missed you too. My mom found your wallet. Must have dropped it, she doesn't seem too bothered though" Bella said in a whisper. Slipping one arm around from around Edward's neck and reaching into her jacket pocket to take out Edward's wallet, and trying to hand it off to him without anyone noticing.

"Yes I saw" Edward said knowingly his eyes while a little humoured by it now but also sorry he'd put her in the position to explain it away. He knew things may have gone a little differently in the kitchen moments ago had it been Charlie who had found it.

"I'm sorry love. I'll be sure to not forget it next time" Edward told her as he slipped his wallet into his jeans after taking it from Bella, pressing his lips once more to her cheek smiling down at her.

"Next time?" Bella asked a little breathy.

"Well I thought we could make last night a more permanent part of your nightly routine" Edward crookedly grinned at his mate. His one hand still rested on her hip almost possessively now, as he moved some of Bella's hair behind her ear. Leaning down to press his lips firm and smooth against her soft and plump lips, sighing as Bella melted into his touch and kiss.

While the kiss was passionate and promised for much more as Edward's fingers smoothly caressed behind Bella's ear and moved into her hair. While Bella gripped at the front of his shirt, it wasn't as filled with heat as the kisses of the previous night had contained, but still much more then the chaste kisses they had shared in the past. While they had openly been more affectionate now in front of people then they had ever been before, it was clear that something had shifted in the dynamic of the relationship. Public displays of affection had never been either of them and added with the constant worry about his control he'd never dared getting carried away as to be caught acting more like a teenager. The sound of a throat being cleared pulled both Edward and Bella away from each other then. While Edward could see who it was he couldn't help the slight nervousness as he turned, Edward and Bella slightly embarrassed to see the slightly perturbed Charlie. Bella ducked her head into Edward's chest blushing and worried how her father would react to seeing them kiss. She didn't believe that Charlie had ever seen Edward and her do anything more than hug or hold hands so she wasn't sure how he'd react. Renee and Alice however had no problem giggling between themselves at both Bella and Edward getting a little carried away in their kiss and Charlie's disturbed reaction and annoyance at seeing it.

"Real glad you two have worked out whatever was up" Charlie's moustache twitched slightly as he furrowed his brow pointing between the two.

"I'm not a big fan of this though. Keep it to yourselves please" Charlie said but there was a humour there and Bella smiled at her father. Seeing that while he'd admitted to not wanting to see them kiss he'd at least not reacted in a way that she believed in the past he would have done by likely forbidding them from kissing anywhere. She was starting to see that her dad was beginning to see her as more of an adult and the relationship she was in as a more mature one then simply being two teenagers fooling around.

"We should be heading out anyway" Alice said inserting herself into the conversation and situation, to bring about getting them back to the Cullen home. She'd been a little on edge more so then usual with being away from her own mate Jasper. Ever since her visions had been so unpredictable, she rarely saw anything and hadn't taken the attack on the Denali's well she'd been sticking close to Jasper's side ever since not wanting him alone.

"That's right, we shouldn't keep them waiting. I'll see you both later?" Bella said slipping her hand into Edward's as he smiled down at her, Bella addressing both her parents it was strange to her still seeing Renee in this house. The house they'd once lived in all together when she'd been a newborn baby pretty much, she wondered if her mother had noticed how little had changed over the years or even how this was effecting her father who she still believed wasn't completely over Renee.

"I've gotta head into the station for a couple hours but I'll be back before you get home, I'm sure" Charlie said with a firm nod then turning to Edward.

"You take care of my girl. I don't want any more accidents. I'd say forever but we both know how prone Bella is to them so let's keep them to a minimum for now" Charlie said as Bella shook her head at him Edward grinned nodding his head in agreement. If he could he'd make sure Bella never came to any type of harm ever again for the rest of their lives together. Soon enough she'd no longer be so fragile, though he couldn't tell Charlie that.

"Yeah real funny Dad thanks" Bella said sarcastically glaring at him slightly.

"I might see what Forks has to offer" Renee said with clear enough tone that stated to everyone she doubted very much that Forks had changed in any way at all that would make it more appealing to her.

"I don't like the idea of leaving you Bella, but I'll need to make arrangements for getting back home too" Renee said now a little more concerned. Edward could see from Renee's thoughts that she worried Bella may begin to resent her not being around for her when she might need her still. Especially now knowing that soon enough her daughter may be someone's fiancée and planning a wedding, in Renee's mind a girl needed her mother in those moments in her life.

"I understand mom. I'm sure Phil really misses you" Bella said understanding she'd not expected Renee to stay long, she'd been surprised that she'd stayed for so long already. There was no secret for her disdain for Forks.

"Well you should be heading out. I hope you have a good day with Edward's family. Don't let yourself get too tired. Take pain medication if anything acts up too. Your dad and I will be here when you come home. Maybe Edward can stay a little if you come home early enough this evening" Renee offered knowing that if they came home sooner she'd get more time to spend with Bella before she left, Edward seeing that she planned to be leaving at least in the next couple of days if she could.

Edward released Bella's hand as Renee pulled her into a hug, kissing her on the cheek and then even Charlie seemed to want to hug Bella, while it was very different then she was used to she allowed it. They'd barely been away from each other since she'd woken up in the hospital and had gotten used to them being around at all hours. Bella knew needed to get back in the swing of things and that included leaving the house though. While she may be in a house of vampires it was most likely the safest place in the world right now especially with Edward at her side. She'd not realised until she'd been about to leave how much trepidation she'd feel by leaving the house to go somewhere other than the hospital. She wasn't sure if it was because of everything she knew that was going on or if this was some type of fear from the attack she'd suffered. It probably didn't help that she honestly didn't know how safe she was by those who she'd considered friends. Edward had made it clear that certain members of the tribe were very much placing threats not only against Edward and his family but her also.

Bella knew that Charlie hadn't heard from any of them, Billy had been refusing his calls ever since the incident and Sue had supposedly visited the hospital while Bella had been asleep. But since then, Charlie hadn't heard from her either. It bothered Bella that people who Charlie cared about may cut him out of their lives and turn against him because of who his daughter was with. Even though she didn't want them to abandon her father like that she recognised how hypocritical it be to hold it against them. People they loved were dead because of the man she loved, she couldn't even hold onto the anger that she knew she would have felt was it anyone else. She knew that they'd blame her too. She couldn't expect them to be so forgiving while still mourning around Charlie. He was so naive to what was happening he'd likely say something without knowing or meaning to upset them. Bella didn't even know if Charlie was aware that Leah was dead, the woman he was in a relationship with had lost her daughter and she didn't believe Charlie had been even told yet. She felt ashamed that she'd not tell him, felt like she was betraying Charlie by keeping silent in her knowledge that he hadn't been told. She was also grateful though that she wouldn't be the one to have to explain this all to Charlie. Bella was beginning to see though that there was a clear divide on how she viewed things, while still human. Now she saw Charlie and Renee as the humans unaware and ignorant to the world she was truly part of. It didn't remove her guilt though that they'd never understand much of what was coming in their future.

Edward guided Bella to the car opening her door and offering his hand to help her climb in. His need to care for her always present in his mind and seeing her out in the open, where anything could happen made him slightly uneasy. He knew how ridiculous his worries may have appeared to anyone else but his instincts recognised two things and that was his mate and that she while healing was still injured. He was aware though of both Charlie and Renee watching the two of them closely, could see how intently they were watching the two of them interacting between each other.

"I think he's already asked her" Charlie said, mentally the more silent of the two parents of his mate, Edward had missed Charlie's suspicions though while Renee's had been loud and clear.

"I do too. I just hope they won't make the same mistakes as us. We were far too young, I was far too hungry to see the world and you were comfortable here" Renee said from within the house doorway as Charlie turned to her. as Edward moved around the front of the car to climb into the driver's seat, still listening in on the conversation they were sharing together unaware he was present for it all in both hearing range and of their minds.

"They won't. Bella is the best of both of us. Edward, he loves her enough that anywhere she'd go he'd follow. Smarter kid then I was anyway" Charlie said his mind thinking on the regret that he'd not followed after Renee when she'd left, to prove he could be more than just a small town cop. Believing if he'd followed and moved away from the small town he'd have been able to fix their marriage and he'd not have missed out on so much of Bella's life. Edward moved his focus away from Charlie and Renee's conversation seeing that it may go to more intimate areas of the past that they shared and no longer wanting to intrude on them as he closed the door behind him and started up his Volvo and peeling away from the Swan home.

Edward slipped his hand back into Bella's as they drove, he listened as Alice and Bella talked and was content to simply enjoy the closeness he had to her. He'd always enjoyed that silly side that Alice seemed to be able to pull from most people, it reminded Edward how young Bella was and that things were good. He listened as Alice tried to convince Bella about staying over, though Edward would have been happy to have her stay the night he had to agree, that while Bella could it was best she spend time with her parents. Bella didn't give the reason that came to Edward's mind for reason of spending time with them, he'd not remind her of it either. He didn't need to sour the tone of their giggling and laughing between each other by reminding her that her time with the humans she cared for was running out. Edward felt the weight of the ring in his pocket like it was more than the small piece of jewellery was, he had the permission of her parents and now he'd only have to but utter that all too famous line. Edward thought about their meadow where they had shared so many moments together but recognised how unlikely using that location for asking her wasn't a viable possibility. Too close to the treaty line , Sam had proved also he'd go out of his own land to set a well aimed strike. Edward didn't know how well the pack knew of the meadow. He knew enough though that they'd been there at some point when they'd destroyed Laurent when he'd almost gotten to Bella.

"Are you okay?" Bella asked squeezing Edward's hand between her own on her lap as she looked at him. Edward hadn't spoken much, barely said a few words as they drove towards his family home and she was concerned something had upset him. Edward turned his eyes away from the road smiling down to Bella his thumb brushing along her palm to try and reassure her, there was much on his mind but nothing she had to worry about.

"I'm fine love. There are just a few things that are on my mind. I'm looking forward to you meeting the Denali's, I think you'll like Carmen she's very much like Esme. Eleazer her mate he's a very intriguing man spent a time with the Volturi. He's gifted, sees the gifts of other's and the potential they hold" Edward explained knowing that Eleazer meeting Bella may finally give some true proof behind many theories about Bella's silent mind. Edward knew she had to be a shield and a powerful one too considering it was in effect while human. While he'd not been happy about Eleazer's reading on his own gift the idea of solving some kind of mystery regarding Bella's silence was very interesting. He wasn't blind to his own hypocrisy that while he'd resented having his gift known by Eleazer's talent he had no issue him seeing if Bella did in fact posses a latent ability.

"Doesn't seem all that helpful to him being able to see what other people can do" Bella said and he could understand her opinion and view on it, it wasn't a defensive or even an offensive ability in any way really but it certainly was helpful to him. Had placed him in a very firmly held position within the Volturi guard for many decades, as he aided in helping Aro create what they knew now to be the guard of the Volturi and the main power behind Aro's leadership of the supernatural world.

"It's not something to underestimate. Eleazer see in a way I find myself not understanding, even when I share his thoughts. It allows him to see a gift how it works and the strength of it. The Volturi used him to find vampire's they could create or offer a place within the guard. Though he's been away from that life for a very long time now" Edward explained some of the basic of Eleazer's history, Eleazer was still very much loyal to the beliefs he knew the Volturi stood for but he wasn't nearly as blind to Aro's agenda as many others were.

"Have you not told her about what Eleazer saw from you?" Alice said her mind knowing that he'd not had the chance and wanting to bring it up on purpose to force the conversation. He'd not been hiding it from Bella, he'd simply not wanted to think it over too much while he was still getting used to the idea.

"What did he see Edward?" Bella asked her voice strained with concern that something might possibly be wrong, she knew that Edward struggled with the power he had. Knew that he hated seeing in the minds of those around him, she didn't envy him either but Bella also recognised it for how truly incredible a power it was for one to see so much from all the minds within distance.

"I mentioned it once to you very loosely when you first learnt of my mind reading. I've always resented the gift and tried my best while failing to shut out the voices I hear" Edward said as he took the turn into the Cullen driveway, pulling the car to an eventual stop in the garage parking beside Emmet's jeep.

"As the years have passed my ability has still seemed to grow with how far I can hear. How the more familiar I am with the mind, I can hear it even further. Eleazer took a reading of my ability and it's developing, it's rare among our kind for gifts to start to change. It seems mine is strengthening. Eleazer isn't sure how it will further develop only that it will and there isn't anything I can do to hinder it's heightening in power" Edward said softly as Bella looked at him worried now, she knew how he struggled and the thought that he'd only be able to hear even more made her scared of how he'd live with that. It also made her concerned that whatever it was keeping her mind silent to him might not always be there, would he soon be able to see her mind like everyone else. Bella wasn't sure she liked that, she enjoyed being the only one he couldn't hear.

"Not that you should try to stop it. Our gifts are special to us. They are what we were intended to have in this life. It's why no vampire ever has exactly the same ability. It's unique to the vampire" Alice said reaching to jab at Edward's shoulder roughly, seeing that he was being morose about his ability she'd hoped he'd been more accepting and she could see how it was worrying Bella too.

"There will never be a vampire who has the gift in the way Edward does. Aro can read minds but we all know it's completely different. You should be proud of what you have and can do. I'm very much excited to see how powerful your gift will become. Kate has already offered to help in training you to see it develop" Alice said a little more firmly then Edward would have wanted her to be with him.

"Why would Kate be the one to help Edward train?" Bella asked curiously.

"Kate is the only other vampire close to our family that has developed her talent further. Gifts are rare, developing ones even more so. She can shock someone with her touch. At first she could only do it with the palm of her hands. Now she can cover her entire body in an invisible current that can knock even a vampire off their feet from her power" Alice told Bella as she listened wide eyed. Bella had seen the awful ability of Jane in Volterra, when she'd tried to use it on her and Edward had gone to interfere. She'd seen how just looking at Edward had caused him horrific pain. It hadn't worked on her, just like Aro's mind reading touch hadn't and even like Edward. She'd never understand why her mind was so different from other humans but she had to be grateful when faced with that. Alice and Jasper's abilities did work with her though and she wondered why there was a certain difference with why some powers could have an effect on her but others didn't.

"Let's head inside they're waiting on us. Some more impatiently then other's" Edward said with a chuckle to his tone, shaking Bella from her internal musings as Edward blurred from his position beside her then opening her door and offering his hand.

Alice moved off ahead of Bella and Edward as they walked at her human pace into the house from the garage entrance, Bella was surprised at just how many people were in the living room. She'd never seen the Cullen home so full even with the complete seven members of the family living here, it always seemed they were never all present at the same time. Now though they were with the added four members of the Denali coven, even with them all there Bella couldn't help but recognise that there should have been another with them. She'd never known Irina other then when the members of the Cullen family referred to the sisters. It was how she'd always thought of them in her head, the three sisters her mind couldn't help but wonder on what Irina would have been like. Bella worried now, seeing all the vampires that she cared about and their friends who followed in the same lifestyle if anymore would be lost because of fights that had come because of her and Edward being together. She didn't want to dwell on it, which only made her feel more selfish for trying to push that guilt aside.

Edward then introduced her to all of the Denali members one at a time. Bella was instantly taken with Carmen and could see why Edward had said she was like Esme. The small curvy woman, was a Spanish version of the woman she'd grown to see as a second mother, Eleazer was tall and very regal it was easy to see he came from a long forgotten time. He'd offered her his fake hand and Bella had gasped at the feel of plastic instead of the cold marble, he'd apologised for his teasing even as Emmet had enjoyed the laugh at Bella's expense. Bella had fought the desire to ask why he had a prosthetic arm but decided against it. It seemed a strange addition to have for a vampire, even though she knew he'd lost his arm.

"This love is Kate and Tanya" Edward had finally directed her towards the two remaining females standing side by side. Bella had swallowed roughly at looking at them both, she'd always considered Rosalie the most beautiful female vampire she'd ever seen, but these women they were something more. While not more beautiful then Rose there was a certain something about them, that even lulled Bella into the two stunning blonde woman.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Bella" Kate said taking the young girls hand in her own and looking between Edward and the very pretty brunette in front of her even with her scars, she was still very pretty.

"I can certainly see what has Edward so enchanted. You certainly have an innocent beauty about you" Kate grinned at the blushing human as Edward had proudly slipped his arm around his mate tighter kissing the top of her hair.

"Yes an innocence I'm sure Edward desires to steal from you sweet Bella" Tanya said with a seductive grin, Bella couldn't help but stare at Tanya.

She had legs that seemed never ending and cleavage that was right in her face she was easily over six feet, an almost blonde Amazonian, with words that spilled from her lips with promises of carnal things. Bella found herself looking from Tanya then to her own beautiful man, for the first time finding herself completely flawed that Edward had ever refused this woman. Bella didn't believe for a second that there was a straight man on the planet that could deny her, she wasn't sure herself if she'd be able to say no if Tanya tried to seduce her and she was completely straight and in love with Edward. There was a definite aura about her that dragged you in and Bella couldn't shake the heavy headedness that seemed to wash over her as she looked at her. It was like everything was going out of focus from her vision and that Tanya was the focal point that pulled her eyes back to her. It was disorientating.

"I...erm. Yes?" Bella stuttered out like a fool and cringed when those around her laughed at her reaction as Edward had tightened his hold on his mate and hissed directly towards Tanya as she raised her hands in surrender.

"If you desire to be welcome in my home Tanya you'd reign it in before I find myself offended" Edward growled lowly at her knowing Tanya all too well and her personal brand of skill, while he'd argued it was an ability in itself. Tanya's gift, Eleazer had compared Tanya's natural seducing aura to that of Esme's welcoming one, Edward still believed Eleazer wrong this was a talent. Edward had always just been more adaptable with his mind reading to see behind the fake quality of it, it wasn't nearly like what Jasper could do but it worked for Tanya and was why she'd never been used to rejection.

"I was simply teasing Edward" Tanya said taking a large step back from the more aggressive Edward she was still getting used to, Bella slowly shaking her foggy head coming back around more as she looked between Edward and Tanya confused.

"I meant no harm Bella. I've always enjoyed trying to get under Edward's skin not that he ever made it easy, his ability always gave him fair warning of any tricks I may have tried to pull" Tanya said while still apologising in her mind to Edward as Bella blushed shrugging a little uncomfortably.

"Her shield is truly fascinating" Eleazer broke the tension as Edward caught on to what Eleazer was looking at as he watched Bella intently as she was coming back to herself realising that Tanya had some type of even heightened version of dazzling that she'd always accused Edward of.

"A shield?" Jasper said contemplating that as he moved closer to the interaction. Standing at Edward's side he'd refrained from being involved in the welcoming, but he couldn't help but listen in at what Bella may have as an ability, when she was too become a newborn. It would help them all in keeping her controlled if they understood as much as they could.

"It was what Carlisle and I assumed after we were in Volterra" Edward nodded seeing Eleazer coming to the same conclusion but with his ability as Bella tugged on Edward's hand to gain his attention.

"What do you mean?" Bella asked feeling that they were talking about her instead of allowing her to understand what they were really talking about and she knew that Eleazer was using his ability just from the way Edward and his siblings were reacting to what he'd said.

"I've assumed for some time now that you were gifted love" Edward said cupping Bella's cheek stroking his thumb over her cheek smiling gently.

"Your mind is silent to me. You blocked Aro and even Jane. That's unheard of even with vampires, so seeing you do that as a human I believed you had some type of latent power" Edward tried to tell Bella, though now he should have come to her with what he'd thought he'd discovered it just hadn't been important as other things around them when he'd realised.

"I'm gifted. Like you, Alice and Jasper" Bella said with a hint of pride suddenly feeling not so average and plain, she was human and would have a power when she became a vampire. Well technically already had one.

"A very powerful gift too. Even now when I try to take a reading you block parts of my gift" Eleazer spoke up finally stepping closer to look at Bella with a friendly nod and smile.

"I can see why Aro would have allowed you to live knowing you'd be changed. You are going to be unlike any shield I've ever seen before. The Volturi have a shield that can change the course of an oncoming attack by touch. You already block mental gifts as a human. I can't begin to imagine what you'll be capable of once changed" Eleazer said reaching out with his hand and tapping Bella's forearm gently, it was clear to Edward how truly impressed Eleazer was with Bella's ability. It worried Edward though seeing too what Eleazer was seeing that Aro would desire the both of them as a mated pair even more, Edward's developing power and Bella already powerful shield as a human.

"Damn we're going to be outnumbered babe, all these freaky powered cheaters. I'll never be able to figure out a way to beat them now" Emmet said sourly sitting beside Rose then pulling her onto his lap and pouted breaking the sudden growing tension around the room.

They'd all calmed from the original introductions Edward had still seemed slightly annoyed at Tanya, and that had been pretty clear not only to Bella but all of the family. Many had believed she'd been rather foolish in her need to stir the boat a little, with using her natural seductive presence around Bella knowing how much it affected humans. Rose had even made a blunt comment about her being lucky Edward hadn't decided to rip the arm off he'd helped reattach that had made Tanya a little sour in her mood. Kate had been wonderful though, and Edward had found himself sending thanks towards her often as Kate told Bella stories about her life. While Edward wasn't sure how Bella would take to listening to the ever filled with sexual content stories that the sisters often shared he'd been pleasantly surprised as Bella had giggled and asked questions of Kate about what she'd done through the years. Even when Edward had found himself wanting to tune out of the conversation and Kate's thoughts as she went into great detail of some of her past conquests, Bella sat still very much intrigued by her.

Bella had been completely amused and intrigued by Kate, she'd never in her life met anyone like her and even though much of her history was filled with different men and even some woman. Bella couldn't help but see that Kate wasn't ashamed of her status as a succubus. Kate had been a feminist long before the term was even around, her centuries of life making her one of the oldest and most independent women on the planet Bella saw. Even though she'd realised what Tanya had tried and not been interested she had to respect that Tanya, Kate and even Irina while aggressively sexual in nature were powerful woman who had influenced moments in history that the world would never know.

"While he certainly seemed confident in his royal divinity as king his royal septa didn't nearly measure up to his own grandeur. Poor man while an eager one he'd lacked technique and equipment" Kate had cackled along with Tanya as Bella had found herself unattractively snorting at the tale about Kate bedding a former king of England during the late 1500's. They'd claimed men from all walks of life from kings, to emperors, to even men of the church. They'd seduced men from all kinds of walks of life and Bella found herself even more intrigued at hearing the story of Edward's rejecting them. It made her feel oddly powerful and beautiful in her own right. Where these experienced beautiful woman had failed she was succeeding, Edward would be hers. Bella found herself cuddling more into Edward's side with a shy mischievous grin on her face, all but looking like the cat that ate the canary.

"Awfully smug there Bella" Jasper spoke up from the love seat with Alice resting with her back against his chest, his chin resting atop her pixie friends head. She'd completely forgotten about his ability to sense the feelings around him, which made her feel stupid of course he'd sense everything she'd felt. It was his own knowing look that made her believe though that he knew just where that smugness was coming from.

"Don't tease the girl I'm positive we all know why she's smug" Kate had waved off Jasper's comment looking at Bella and offering a wink to her.

"You will forever have us beaten Bella. For all the men we have desired and taken you will always be the winner of the one who would turn us away" Kate said with no resentment or bitterness which made Bella believe she'd really found a friend in Kate. Bella was still very much unsure of Tanya even though Alice had said she had nothing to worry about from her. She certainly hadn't appreciated whatever it had been that Tanya had done to send her in a tail spin, it had angered Edward thoroughly though.

"I always did prefer brunettes" Edward said leaning down to capture Bella's lips against his own grinning at the smile that Bella gave him against his kiss. He'd used the exact same line when he'd explained that Rosalie had been created with the intention of being a companion to Edward. They received cat calls from Emmet and even Kate then as Edward continued to kiss, Bella leaning more into the kiss as Esme tried to silence them from teasing them both, thrilled to see her son so happy and in love.

"Will you two get a room?" Alice huffed a little exasperated finally while even in her huff she was still secretly thrilled with the new more open version of Edward that was being shown to the entire family.

"First you make Charlie endure seeing you suck face with Bella and now us" Alice said playfully as Bella and Edward finally broke apart from each other, Edward smirking as he turned his head to Alice sticking his tongue out towards his sister.

"Wait you made out in front of the Chief and he didn't pull a gun on you?" Emmet said impressed he'd never thought Edward the type he'd always believed there was a bit of fire in Bella but Edward was always too reserved and rigged in the past to ever do that. Edward simply chuckled and moved to stand from the sofa reaching his hand towards Bella for her to take.

"While it's certainly been a pleasure I think I'll take Alice's advice. Love would you join me in finding a room. I've got something I'd like to show you" Edward smirked as Bella stood taking his hand quickly, if his intention was for more uninterrupted kissing she was completely for it and wouldn't find her denying him or refusing ever.

"Oh I bet he's got something to show you Bella" Kate snorted as Tanya laughed loudly, Bella's face heating instantly at the very thought of what Kate was implying Edward wanted to show her.

"Jealous" Bella sang back finding that confidence again as she giggled as Edward wrapped his arms around Bella and lifted her.

Moving from the room quickly with only the sound of the family's laughter fading behind them as he chuckled, kissing Bella's hairline as she laughed. It was good to enjoy their time together, to be a family and enjoy spending time together without the constant fear of what was to come. Edward was even more pleased to see how well Bella interacted with the Denali's. He knew Tanya hadn't meant to cause problems and that eventually Bella and she would get to know each other, but it was clear to see already the budding friendship she was building with Kate. Edward was pleased to see how welcoming the Denali's were of Bella also, especially under their grief which they had done their best to not show. Unfortunately for Tanya and Kate this hadn't been the first time they had lost a family member in a confrontation.

Edward did however have something he wanted to show Bella, he had something he wanted to ask her too. There would never be a perfect time or place he knew that from seeing thousands of minds contemplating the same thing he was now. Today had been a happy day though. Those were rare to find when everything you loved was in danger. It was time to ask her, to finally make Isabella Swan his fiancée. He was going to ask her to marry him.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N Hey everyone, okay guys I've gotten this chapter to you much sooner than I thought I'd have the time to but I'm literally starting my new job in the next hour and wanted to try and get this chapter up soon. I've spent all morning trying to edit and clean this up, so I'm sorry if there was anything I've missed. I might need to start looking for a Beta as I haven't heard from my own in about a week. Anyway I hope you guys all enjoy what I've written this time I do have to warn you while there isn't a lemon this chapter has some more citrus tones to it. I do want to address that now, while I know many may like to see that in the future for Edward and Bella I'm not completely sure if I want to have that added in the writing yet. I guess it will be decided from the reaction of you guys with the hints of deeper intimacy Bella and Edward share and if that makes you guys happy and I haven't written the most boring intimate moments lol.**

 **Anyway I'll leave you guys to this chapter and hopefully fingers crossed you'll be seeing another chapter before the end of this week. It'll be due to my time scheduling if I have the time to get more writing and editing done, I hope I do but you all know how it is with starting a new job I'm sure.**

 **Rain coats guys...Hope you've got them. When it rains it pours.**

 **RED DAWN**

 **SUMMARY:** Edward had always warned Bella that the pack were dangerous. Hostile, volatile and aggressive in nature. She ignored him, testing even Edward's own vampire instinct by staying friends with his enemy, Jacob. One event will change them all, Bella never truly understood the supernatural world. Didn't understand the aggression that lay dormant even in her controlled mate until it was too late. Warning: Violence and Character death.

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the Characters.**

* * *

 **Chapter Twelve**

Edward released Bella from his hold outside of his room opening the door to let her go in ahead, he watched as she moved into his room and then her gaze stopped on the new addition. She'd not been aware of Edward purchasing a bed for the room, while she'd stayed in it for a time she'd been completely unaware, unconscious from her injuries. She knew as soon as she saw the large four post bed, that Edward had gotten it for the intention of her sleeping in it and sharing it with her. She wondered how long he'd had it, or if he'd worked some kind of charm and influences to have it delivered so fast and set up so quickly. Edward closed his door behind him, while it may not have given them much privacy when those in the house could hear everything said. Especially if they desired to pay attention, it still held enough significance that he wanted some privacy with Bella here to anyone who moved past his room. Bella moved to the bed slowly reaching out and touching one of the posts and tracing her hand along the smooth wood, it reminded her of how she'd always imagined the beds in old classic novels. It was elegant and beautiful with sheets that looked too soft for her even to touch, and an amount of pillows at the head of the bed that would better any royalty she'd read about. Bella turned around to look at Edward to find him watching her with that easy care free crooked grin that she adored so much.

"You got a bed?" Bella asked even though it was clear to see that he'd definitely gotten a bed but she wanted him to elaborate on why he'd done so. She hadn't needed him too, they'd always enjoyed relaxing together on the futon he'd first introduced her too as the only furniture for relaxing on that first time he'd brought her here to his bedroom.

"Well I thought it was something I'd need should you ever stay the night" Edward smiled moving towards Bella and slipping his arms around her small body embracing her.

"This is our room. Though you've already slept in it technically" Edward said softly leaning down and kissing Bella's cheek and along her jaw line as he pulled her closer.

"When?" Bella said breathlessly, under the kisses that Edward placed over her skin, leading a trail of nerve tingling pleasure in its wake of them. She'd certainly liked the more affectionate way they had been since the reunion last night.

"The night I brought you here when you were hurt" Edward said and even then as his kisses stopped and Bella looked into his deep contact lenses covered eyes that it still pained him thinking on it.

"I was lying beside you after Carlisle had stabilized you. I wanted to just lay there forever. To close the world away and take care of you and love you" Edward said with a clear sign of his own vulnerability as Bella tugged his hand then slightly pulling him towards the bed.

"Let's make it a better memory then for our first time in our bed together" Bella said softly moving to climb into the bed as Edward smiled warmly at her. Moving into the centre of the large bed finding himself pulling Bella into his arms holding her content and blissfully, happy to have her here with him.

"This is much better" Edward whispered pressing his lips to her hair inhaling her scent and resting his head back more into the softness of the pillows beneath him. The warmth of her body against his own cooler one making him feel completely whole in that moment, as it had the night before as she'd slept.

"So this was what you wanted to show me?" Bella said with a grin as she twisted her body in her embrace with Edward to be able to look up at him resting her chin on his marble solid chest.

"There are many things I wish to show you Isabella" Edward said in a tone that Bella could only compare to the likes in which she'd seen Tanya speak earlier. With sins promised on his lips and it sent a shiver down her very spine seeing that Edward was teasing her just as the family had all teased each other throughout the afternoon.

"I see that Kate's warning held truth then" Bella pursed her lips saying it tartly not wanting to be outdone. She'd very much enjoyed the playfulness that today had granted them all. She'd even seen Carlisle and Esme sharing tender smiles. Bella had not seen Carlisle smile properly since she'd woken in hospital. Even so with her words Bella dared to drag her hand down her loves toned stomach, dipping just at the waist band of his jeans with a wide mischievous grin.

"I see her influence is already beginning to show" Edward smirked but made no attempt to stop her in her hand's travelling over his body, no longer denying himself the pleasure of her touch should she feel him worthy of it.

"I don't know you seemed to have enough influence on me all by yourself" Bella said pushing her hand beneath the shirt finally, making skin to skin contact and then without another word said between them they came together passionately.

They moved towards each other with a single minded determination that would have been impressive to anyone who bared witness to it as Bella's hand moved under his shirt. Edward had already pulled Bella's body astride him. His hands took claim of her hips and slid along her sides causing Bella to whimper as his fingers delicately trailed along her body like she'd seen him do countless times with the piano. He played her wonderfully, masterfully with a skill she knew could not come from any simple man with no experience in such things. Bella's hand remained beneath his shirt rising higher up as she was forced to sit atop his lap straddling him, she revelled in the broad expanse of his perfectly sculpted chest. All while they touched Edward had taken claim of Bella's lips and she'd surrendered willingly her mouth welcoming him as she tasted his very essence against her tongue as he took control of her. She could even feel the hardness beneath her then of his arousal, for all the stories she'd endured with a naive humour she was finally earning her own tale she'd be one day able to regale to Kate.

She could feel him beneath her and she knew Edward could likely smell her too. Edward was intoxicated by the heavy scent of her blood and arousal it reached into the depths of his once believed depravity. No longer ashamed by his need, simply accepting of it and ready to enjoy in it, he felt the fabric beneath his fingers at Bella's back peel down the centre effortlessly, tearing. He had noticed that she'd forgone a bra the pebbling of her nipples against his chest now rubbing against his over sensitive skin. He wanted her skin, wanted to taste every inch of her. He had only been given pause at the stiffening of Bella's body under his touch.

"What's wrong love?" Edward whispered even his own voice huskier in his heightened desire as he looked at Bella straddling his own evident desire for her. He could see though already her fear and concern, the worry and he found himself guilt ridden then in the belief he may have forced himself too far with her. Especially with her body still healing.

"It's just" Bella looked away from his beautiful eyes, struggling. This was exactly what she'd always wanted and she wanted it now more than anything but her fear about him seeing her body it was becoming too much.

"You've never seen me like this. I want you to like my body but I'm... I look horrible Edward" Bella whispered her doe eyes filling with tears at the thought of disappointing him somehow.

"Never" Edward said firmly then moving his hands to cup both sides of Bella's face being cautious of her stitching as he looked deeply into her eyes, the deep love and adoration clear in them.

"You don't look horrible. Never have you looked more beautiful to me then here giving me more of you then we've ever shared. If you aren't ready I won't rush you love. I can admit I got slightly carried away, I never intended to shred your shirt" Edward smiled kissing the corner of Bella's lips as she tried to get control of herself she was overwhelmed and hated herself for stopping what was progressing between them.

"I want too though. Not sex yet but, to be able to see you" Bella said her hand still under his shirt resting on his toned stomach as she sighed looking away her sad face breaking Edward's heart as he believed he'd be able to find a way to bring them back to the happiness.

"Then let me show you" Edward whispered letting go of Bella and moving to pull his shirt off from his body and discarding it beside him, Edward took Bella's hands in his own and guided them over his own body shifting back with her and laying back on the bed as he moved both their hands over his torso

"I'm yours Bella. Every part of me belongs to you" Bella looked down at him awed.

This was completely new territory for them both now, in the new claims of territory they'd been making in the last day of their more physical sides of the relationship. She'd only ever seen Edward shirtless once before, when he'd gone to step into the light in Volterra when he'd been ready to reveal his none human skin to the crowd. To provoke the Volturi's wraith in his need to find her in death. Now he was before her so perfectly made, skin so beautifully unblemished and smooth under her touch and his large hands guiding her own over him. Artists would weep in sorrow over seeing this flawless creature before her, this man who loved her so completely. She knew that he was placing himself vulnerable before her, he'd never been like this with anyone to give himself so freely that suddenly the need to show him her own commitment even though she feared him seeing the scars won out. As she allowed the tatters of her shirt to fall forward and off from her body. They didn't speak a word then both their bodies bare to each other, Edward felt his venom pour into his mouth at the sight of Bella above him shirtless.

How many nights had he internally fantasised about this moment, how many times had he taken to the forest to ease his own hunger for her with this very image so clear in his mind. The marks made him hurt, they were like a deep wound in his very soul of a proof of failing her but they were not ugly or hideous. She'd survived them and even in what these marks being made had created in its wake they were still together, if not stronger then they'd been before. Edward moved then to place Bella beneath him as he kneeled between her legs his weight braced on his forearms as he caressed along her cheek his cold hard chest pressed tightly against her pliable warm one.

"A hundred years is nothing when I think about how long I would have waited for you Bella" Edward said in a desperation that made Bella want him even more as he kissed her pouted swollen lips. They kissed deeper still and he growled in the pleasure of her hardened nipples pressed against his cool chest, his stomach tightening as he felt like he could burst around the sensations of pleasure at having her skin pressed to his own.

"I love you Edward. I love you" Bella cried out in overwhelming pleasure as his lips moved along her injured side of her face and then he moved lower his tongue flicking against her pulse sending it into hyper drive as her heart thumped in her own ears loudly.

Bella found herself at a loss for words.

There were no words she could even try to muster to explain how her body felt in that moment, as Edward's intention became clear to her. As if he was trying to heal every single mark upon her body with the gentleness of his lips and tongue. The fear was still there in her belly but it was fading fast. How could she ever fear him, when he brought her so much pleasure, how could she fear his rejection when he was making her feel like the most beautiful woman in the world in that moment. Edward continued his pursuit down Bella's body his heightened sense aware of everything about her then, to ensure he didn't push his love too far beyond her levels of comfort. These wounds on her body would heal but he knew it wasn't the ones visible he had to try and heal now it was the ones inside, the insecurities that made her believe she'd not be beautiful to him. He slowly sucked on the skin of Bella's collarbone enjoying the moment in which her skin shudder under his swirling tongue as the flesh shivered and her stomach tightened under him. Edward moved down her body like a man praising a masterpiece, he kissed her skin like a worshipper standing at the feet of his goddess.

All that he dreamed and desired began and ended in this beautiful fragile strong human girl. A hundred years alone and he'd been gifted her in the end, knowing now what she was to him he'd have waited a thousand more knowing she'd be his one day. Edward felt she was some kind of reward at the end of his dark existence he'd endured before finding her. Edward felt Bella's hand's move then tightening in the crown of his unruly hair as his nose brushed down over her perfectly dark pinked nipple and then as she cried out audibly into the silent room as his tongue flicked back over it and took it between his lips. Always mindful of his teeth and the amount of strength he used as he sucked on the sensitive little pebbled skin. Edward was a man on a mission, a hundred years of being frozen as a seventeen year old boy with his hormones so heightened he'd not known what to do but try and lock them away. Now finally being free to rejoice in them with the love of his life. He kissed every individual stitching that ran down her body, he licked along each curve of her hip and breast. Edward adored her and felt her scent heighten and her bodies control rise and fall as he brought her into that distinct moment of pleasure to only let it fall again.

He teased her into frenzy with a skill that he should have never possessed but found himself grateful to his mind reading and the memories he'd shared in. Once before considered them wrong and now found himself grateful to finally have the use of these unused skills. He could never feel dirty or wrong for his need to pleasure Bella in this moment as he brought her to her, as far as he was aware first climax of pleasure. He watched as he completely made her fall apart under the skill of his lips and tongue on her bare torso. He watched her beautiful eyes scrunch close, her face blush and watched in wonder as that blush spread down her neck and covered her chest that rose as her spine arched away from the mattress.

She was magnificent.

She was the embodiment of all things beautiful.

She was his goddess of his carnal hungers.

She was his mate.

Soon enough too he hoped his wife also.

Bella couldn't move, her hand that had until then been so tightly gripped in Edward's hair had fallen limp as she looked up at the velvety ceiling of the four poster bed, her eyes unfocussed and almost blurred. Her mind was still aware but she was still completely consumed by the over sensitiveness of her entire body, she was still faintly aware of Edward's lips in a smile against her hip. It felt like he was nibbling almost, she felt utterly spent and exhausted like Edward had taken her on some type of ethereal journey as he'd touched and kissed every inch of her body. The way in which he'd so effortlessly teased her skin into goose bumps with shivers to then heat it igniting a flame inside of her she had believed would consume her. The teasing remarks on Edward being celibate and innocent during many of the stories shared earlier in the day just didn't add up in her mind. He done things to her she'd not even thought someone would do with their lips, tongue or even fingers. He'd worked her body in a way like she'd often seen him work over the piano, with a passion and skill that she'd thought could only relate to musical instruments. Though she'd felt like he'd played her body, like he'd known her mind all along. Was this what all the secret giggles in locker rooms and boastful guys cheering had been all about throughout her time in high school.

She certainly felt like giggling with Kate and Alice over what Edward had done. Wanted to suddenly shout, proudly from the roof top that Edward Cullen had given her, her very first sexual experience of her life. Her very first orgasm and she was hooked. She'd not even known it was possible to make someone feel that much pleasure from what he'd done, she'd read about love making, seen it in movies and television shows but what she and Edward had shared she didn't believe she'd seen ever before. They way he'd sucked while kneading areas of her hip had turned her to jelly or the way his hardness had felt pressed on the inside of her thigh as he'd traced his tongue along her throat. She wasn't sure what she called it but she doubted it was something a human could do, she didn't believe for a second a human could do that to another. Bella wasn't even sure if there was another man on this planet that could do what Edward had done. She knew there was no other that could make her feel how he had that was for sure.

"I...I...god. I sound so stupid" Bella had panted and stuttered out finally saying something more than cried out pleading for more or to stop or even her favourite Edward's name or some type of praising to god.

"You sound perfect" Edward crooned all while looking far too pleased with himself as he finally moved up from near her hip to cuddling Bella into his chest smiling at Bella as she finally gained some composure as they looked into each other's eyes.

"That was amazing" Bella whispered nestling her face into Edward's solid chest kissing over where his silent heart was, wanting to be completely consumed by him. She felt like she could end up closing her eyes and falling into the most peaceful sleep of her life now.

"I love you Bella. I'll always love you" Edward sighed out with a pleased smile on his own face as his fingers trailed along her spine, their legs tangling together on the bed. Edward knew there would never be a time better than this one in this moment of complete love and bliss.

"I know this isn't the most perfect setting to ask this of you Bella. I can't help but say something though, with this day it's been so filled with lightness and happiness, even pleasure. You've often asked of me the things I want in this world and I've made it clear to you that you are what I want most of all in this life. I want you like me so we can be together forever but there is something else I want love" Edward whispered as Bella turned her face to look at Edward as she held herself closer to him.

"This isn't how I thought I'd do it, though I doubted you'd want a grand set up I know that isn't you. This though being together so openly vulnerable the both of us and so clearly in love I think no better moment could have presented itself then this" Edward reached into his pocket then taking hold of the box with his mother's engagement ring inside pulling it from his jeans as he looked deeply into Bella's beautiful brown eyes.

"I'm ready for forever. I'm ready to spend the rest of my life with you. I'm ready to take you as my wife, if you'll have me as your husband. Will you make me the happiest man to ever have walked this world and do me the extraordinary honour of being my wife Bella, will you marry me love?" Edward said finally getting the words out to Bella as she lay pressed into his arms his hand flicking open the box to reveal the ring to her.

Bella was stunned, a part of her was so genuinely surprised by this she felt somewhat a little foolish, he'd made mention of this in the past when they'd often spoke about life had it been different. She could remember the conversation all too clearly then as she'd wanted to know how things would have been had they met when he'd been human. Had they met during Edward's human life in some strange sense of kismet, he'd been openly honest then. While Bella had never truly ever been interested in the idea of marriage, seeing it less as something other than a failed piece of paper that half the couples who took part in the ceremony ended up separated anyway. She remembered listening to Edward tell her how had he found her as the seventeen year old human he would have courted her, he would have attended chaperoned dates with her and perhaps stolen the briefest of chaste kisses before finally asking for her father's permission to wed them. He'd been so clear that had he met her as a human he'd have bent down to one knee before her and offered her the world and a life together. He would have turned away his boyish ideals of becoming a soldier and the grandeur of war to start a home with her as his mother had wanted, he'd have worked to become a lawyer as his father had wished and he'd have been happy.

He'd have still had her and she'd remembered feeling overwhelmingly loved that even then knowing that his greatest desire had been to join the war he'd have picked her above all else. For some reason she'd believed this would never been a step that they would take together, now it seemed ridiculous as she knew that all of his family had married. Some of them even multiple times during the years they'd been together. Bella knew well enough that Alice had wedding dresses stored away and that Rosalie had dozens of dresses from multiple weddings they'd held. It allowed them to celebrate their love and marry the new identities they had to create during the years. It was all part of the idea of keeping them connected and fresh on paper. Bella had been trying so hard to get Edward to simply change her into a vampire she'd not thought of another form of commitment, a human one that she held no real faith in. She knew a week ago she'd have said no outright completely being blind to just how much this would mean to Edward, a week ago she'd have been too concerned about what everyone around her thought. She'd have feared telling Charlie and Renee, she'd have not wanted to hurt Jake with the growth in her love for Edward, Bella would have feared the mocking and judging from those around Forks. In her head she even considered cynically they'd all think she was pregnant getting married so young.

This was not the Bella of a week ago though. She'd had her eyes opened to not only her own failings but the false presumption of the man in front of her. She'd always believed him above so many normal things and unknowingly completely brushed past the thought that he too had insecurities just as she did. This beautiful self loathing man frozen forever a boy who believed himself a soul less monster was asking her to marry him. Not because it was expected, not because of any reason that people got married in her generation for, but the only reason he had ever believed worthy of such a commitment.

Love and devotion.

It brought tears to her eyes as she looked at him even now shirtless and flawless to her human eyes and she could see his worry, see that he wanted this. He'd told her only earlier that he'd have waited even longer had he known she was going to be his, she was thankful he didn't, she was glad that it hadn't been her because she knew she didn't have nearly the strength of this man before her. The elegant ageless ring while even old fashioned was everything she'd never believed she'd wanted in an engagement ring, her mind already conjuring images of the light bouncing off the beautiful jewels set in the ring on her finger. She knew even without Edward saying that this was expensive but instead of recoiling from it she felt herself wanting to reach out for it. She knew it was her ring already, knew that she'd wear it proudly on her finger without even a murmur of protest because it wasn't just an expensive ring. She'd seen something similar, Edward of course had no idea but Bella could still see the image of him human with his parents. His mother's hands rested in front of her and that same round circular setting with the sapphires and diamonds fitted in beautifully, his mother's ring. He loved her so much. He'd give her something that she knew had to be precious to him, something that had been with him since his life had been so drastically changed.

She found the words that she wanted to say stuck in her throat then as she turned to look up at Edward her eyes blurred and then he was gone, he'd moved from his position on the bed. She'd barely understood it before she found the ring left behind with her and then she felt herself reacting frantically. She'd left him waiting too long, she'd not answered quickly enough and hoped he was close enough that she could fix this before he doubted that she wanted to be his completely in all ways. Bella brushed her hands under her eyes wiping away the tears to see Edward standing rigged and tense at the large expanse of window to the adjacent wall his body looked so tightly coiled it worried her that she'd ruined this moment for them. She felt herself quickly stumbling from their bed taking great care with holding the engagement ring in her hands still shirtless to move towards him, to fix whatever offense she'd made against him.

"Don't come closer love. Put a shirt on please" Edward said but his voice was strange and distant and it only worried Bella more she couldn't understand what was happening. She knew he must be hurting if she knew him as she did he'd most likely taken her silence as rejection and now was shouldering the blame on himself. The only salvation in the entire sentence was that he'd still called her love. While small the endearment meant so much with knowing how Edward was feeling.

"Edward... come back to..." Bella froze on her words as the door knocked rapidly and Bella knew well enough to cover herself, her shirt was completely ruined but Edward's was there still she quickly slipped it over her head and sighed her hands still clinging to the ring as Jasper and Emmet then entered into the room.

"How many?" Jasper asked urgently moving towards Edward's flank as Edward stood still so rigidly set like a statue watching over whatever was outside, whoever Edward was seeing that the others couldn't.

"Seven. I hear an eighth further out on the edge of town. Riley Biers the boy from Forks that went missing in Seattle" Bella knew the name, Charlie had been involved in helping Mr and Mrs Biers report their missing son that had to have been almost a year ago now. She didn't understand what a missing college student had to do with what was happening but she could tell it was serious.

"Seven newborns we're looking at a hell of a fight" Emmet said and Bella was surprised that he wasn't his normally humours and joking self hadn't she grown used to Emmet laughing in the face of any kind of danger. She knew enough now to understand what a newborn was, newly changed vampires far stronger then a normal vampire because they were still feeding on their own blood in their bodies. Newborns that she was positive meant Victoria, she'd remained quiet too long it seemed and had clearly ruined the moment in which Bella was supposed to become Edward's fiancée. It hurt in her chest, it made her so angry with all of these people who wanted to risk and ruin all that she loved in her life.

"They have no idea what they're coming against. They're closing in from the highway. They came through the sea route, seems Riley is aware enough to know he couldn't have them cross human's too soon. We need to go now" Edward said firmly moving away from the window and Bella found herself standing there awkwardly pleading with her eyes for Edward to give her just a moment, just one more second before he rushed off into danger. She couldn't even think of the idea of him being hurt, she knew he was strong and fast, she knew his talent gave him a much greater advantage but these newborns would be stronger. She couldn't do anything to protect Edward, no matter how badly she wished she could.

"We'll meet you downstairs. We'll need to decide who is going to go out. We can't leave Bella defenceless here. Personally Carmen and Esme just haven't trained enough to be involved yet" Jasper said bluntly of the two maternal members of both families while they'd been training during the evenings with members of the family it was coming slow, both women not particularly known for a more lethal side.

They'd been struggling to push away the fear of hurting family to learn to be truly dangerous when fighting. Jasper wasn't going to allow them to be placed in harm not knowing if they'd match up. Edward nodded to Jasper and Emmet exited his room and he moved to his wardrobe to grab another shirt to cover himself with, his head confused and conflicted. She'd not said anything to his proposal and yet now he found himself having to stay in tune with the thoughts of seven extremely enraged and thirsty newborns that had been riled up for a fight.

"Edward. What's happening?" Bella asked once Jasper and Emmet had left moving to him and slipping her arms around his body pressing her face into his back and locking her arms around his stomach to try and stop him from leaving almost.

"There are newborns a few miles away. I heard them. Their thirst it's very loud in their minds. We're going to need to cut them off now and destroy them. Riley Biers appears to be helping Victoria. He's planned his own attack on the family. I can't seem to pick up Victoria so I don't know if she's close by or even involved in this strike" Edward said finding his eyes moving down to look at her small hands locked around him seeing the velvet box still clasped in her hands. What did it mean? He wished he could see her mind, so badly did he wish the one mind that evaded him was open now.

"I don't want you to get hurt" Bella whispered roughly scared that she'd possibly loss him, the thought was so soul destroying that she believed she might understand then what Edward might have felt when she'd been harmed. With his emotions even more heightened with supernatural instincts she didn't understand she knew how deeply it must have affected him.

"I won't. Even with seven of them we've got more numbers here. We have the gifted of us. We have Jasper, that mans knowledge in newborns is endless" Edward opened her arms from around his body and turned around to face her leaning down slightly and moving his hand to cup her cheek as Bella pressed her face into his palm more.

"I will always come back to you Bella. There is no force on this earth that could keep me from you" Edward said with a fiery determination and then kissed her briefly on the lips even then there was heat in the kiss as Bella found herself almost melting into Edward, the kiss ending all too soon for the both of them.

"We should join the others. I need to make sure your safe first. I can't leave without knowing that" Edward said entwining his fingers with her free hand and then grabbing his shirt off the counter top in his other tugging her towards his door, Bella resisting slightly and tugging back at her arm to stop and halt Edward from leaving.

"Yes" Bella said firmly as Edward turned to her confused.

"Yes what Bella?" Edward looked to Bella seeing her offer the velvet box back towards him.

"I never got to answer. I was so surprised. Then I was so happy and I couldn't speak. I never got to answer you. So, yes. Yes I'll marry you. Yes I'll be your wife from now until the end of our existence" Bella said with complete confidence in her tone as Edward's face morphed from the serious look that had been on his handsome features before. As a wide smile broke across his face, revealing his straight white teeth, a twinkle almost in his ruby red eyes.

Edward moved to Bella then dropping his shirt to the floor and taking the box from her hand and then moving to lift Bella off her feet pressing his lips to her own firmly. He kissed her deeply feeling like a heavy weight had been lifted from his chest at her acceptance of his proposal, she was his, she wanted to marry him and he couldn't have been happier. Bella smiled against Edward's lips as he swung her around in a complete circle earning a peel of laughter from her as he then placed her back onto her feet. He swiftly removed the ring then looking from it into Bella's eyes and then took her hand and slowly slipped the ring onto her finger bringing her hand to his lips kissing it tenderly.

"You have no idea how much this means Bella" Edward said looking at her in a way that revealed all too well how much her yes had meant to him, she'd known even before then how much. It wasn't just Edward who wanted this though, she wanted this too.

"You just better come back to me Edward" Bella said seriously leaning into his palm and then kissing the palm of his hand looking down from the corner of her eyes at the ring on her finger with a shy smile.

"Always love. Nothing could keep me away from you. We need to join the others. I can't tell you how sorry I am that these things ruin moments for us but I can only promise that once this is all over I'll spend eternity making up for this all Bella" Edward said sincerely as he reached down to grab his shirt pulling it over his head and then taking Bella's hand back into his own feeling the cool platinum band against his own skin.

"You have nothing to make up for Edward. None of this is your fault" Bella said knowing the truth of it, it wasn't fair to place the blame on any one persons shoulders many choices had been made to bring them to these events. Bella believed it was because of all of the awful choices that Alice's visions had gone black, that they'd all been trying to interrupt things in their own views and ended up failing horribly. She was just as guilty in that as any other person.

Edward quickly moved himself and his fiancée down to the rest of his family, even though he knew the seriousness of what was very much on the doorstep of his home he couldn't help the pride in that.

His fiancée.

Isabella Swan was his fiancée and the future Mrs Edward Cullen, there could be no lingering of doubt now, they were completely committed they would be united eternally not only by vows under god but the venom that flowed through his very body. He was aware enough of what he had to do to know that he couldn't allow himself to go into the coming danger without concentration. He'd been given something he'd hoped for and now he'd have to fight to ensure he returned back to Bella's side, at least in the darkness he had a glimmer bright light to guide him. He would endure anything to have her, now it was time to rid the world of that which wanted to stand between him and his happiness and destroy them all. Esme and Carmen had already willing accepted that they would not be expected to face the seven newborns, Edward had made it perfectly clear while Riley was a newborn to their standards of vampire's he was by far old enough in his vampire existence to have some type of basic control and mental function. Riley Biers was not running on instinct any longer, but he was running on the belief that he was doing all of this for Victoria and giving her what she wanted. Edward suspected a deceit within that clouded relationship even from the distance the need within Riley's mind to impress Victoria came from a desperate man consumed by lust and affection.

Edward would destroy the newborns but his true target was Riley, he was the main piece in all of this the man to carry out the actions he'd put together from Jasper own belief when Riley had been mentioned that Victoria had been getting around Alice's very gift with this middle man in her plans. It had worked masterfully. They were lucky however Alice was still so badly affected by the pack being involved in the family's future or Edward and Jasper both believed she'd be able to let them know everything they wanted now she knew who to watch for. Though she'd still likely need to see him, or be around his past but he had a home in Forks and parents.

"I'll stay behind" Eleazer said firmly while he was more so staying to protect Carmen more than anything else, Eleazer was a strong fighter years of being part of the Volturi guard had given him training that was rarely bettered anywhere else within covens. He was still deeply concerned on his change in fighting technique though and while still a lethal foe was not as confident with his changed appearance.

"I'll stay too. I don't want to think that they'd get through but if they do. I've got Bella's back" Kate said evenly nodding her head towards Edward, her opinion was true she wanted to protect her new friend especially knowing Edward wouldn't be close to do so with them needing him out there to dispose of this small army of newborns. Edward was impressed to see that Kate was genuinely not concerned about fighting at all he'd expected to see some fear especially after how close to destruction she'd come at the attack by the pack. Kate had been ripped to pieces after that confrontation but her will hadn't been broken if anything it had only strengthened her own resolve to be better. Her grief had distracted her she wasn't about to allow Edward's fragile human mate be in danger knowing it could very well be his end if he wasn't completely focussed.

"Okay then. That leaves four here with Bella. That gives us seven newborns possibly eight should Riley involve himself. His position far away makes me suspect that he's not going to be part of any initial strike" Jasper said then looking from each member that had willingly or simply expected to join the fight, Tanya hadn't been thrilled at the idea of having to fight with a newborn it was bad enough dealing with the dogs. Newborns were instinctual monster with superior strength in all regards.

"I say pods of two" Emmet said cracking his knuckles audibly looking to Jasper for confirmation or disagreement in his plan.

"Alice and you. Me and Rose. Tanya and Carlisle..." Emmet then looked to Edward as if somehow realising that Edward would be the only one to be fighting without a partner. With seven newborns though and seven members of the family it didn't bother Edward too much, while not the strongest he was extremely fast, he was hoping that these newborns were new enough that he'd be able to use much of what Jasper had been teaching about dealing with newborn vampires.

"Don't worry working in twos is fine. I'll take care of my vampire and then I'll hunt down Riley. They have no idea we know that they're closing in, they still think very much like humans. They aren't used to scents, hearing even their own body's abilities yet. Riley is who I want" Edward said firmly and Jasper who had been ready to disagree and plan for alternate way of attacking them was more than willing to go with Edward's way.

He too agreed capturing Riley was important.

If they'd had the numbers he would have suggested Edward simply forgoing the fight simply to take out Riley knowing how fast Edward was and how using his mind he'd be able to track him fairly well.

"What direction are they coming in from?" Alice asked not seeing them still she wasn't sure if that was just because of her power being on the down or if they'd simply not made a choice yet.

"They're coming south. Riley was smart enough to take them from Seattle by a route using the ocean. He's keeping them from humans. They'll have to come through our home to get to Forks which is where their mind is focussed" Edward told his sister, his eyes then turning to Bella who was standing at Kate's side now she forced a smile towards him but he could see how worried she was.

"They'll expect an easy fight. Newborn strength makes them arrogant it's why it's so hard to train them they go back to basics every time" Jasper said shaking his head a faint memory of his time in the south dealing with newborns who simply wouldn't take to the training, Edward knew often those who refused to conform to Jasper's training were eventually killed if not in battle by his hand by Maria's command.

"Let's go. The closer we let them get the worse it'll be if they manage to evade us and try to run. We can't have them getting anywhere near the town. We certainly don't want them heading to La Push" Carlisle said urgently his fear of the lives that could be lost if seven newborns were allowed to be set loose on the people of Forks especially newborns who hadn't been taught about keeping themselves under the radar. It was still a surprise the Volturi hadn't stepped in with all that the news were reporting on the deaths and missing people in Seattle.

Edward said one more linger goodbye to Bella as she clung to him with all her strength not wanting him to leave her but knowing he had to, his family needed him and the only way they were both safe from Victoria was destroying those who were part of her army. Edward pressed his lips once more to Bella's hair as Kate stepped forward to usher Bella away already starting in about another past story to try and distract her from what was happening and Edward was truly grateful for Kate and all she was doing for him and Bella. Edward and the remaining members of his family exited the house, Jasper and Alice were already outside with Tanya and Carlisle as Rose and Emmet brought up the rear behind Edward.

"Maybe we should herd them to La Push. Two birds one stone" Emmet said with a faint chuckle as Edward looked behind him at Emmet with a slight smirk on his face, it would certainly pose a smart idea but placed too many innocent humans at risk. They wanted to end the threats but Edward didn't want to cause needless deaths to humans for that to happen.

"How are we approaching them?" Rose asked as she moved down from the porch and shoved her way between Edward and Emmet pushing them both aside to stand between them.

"Carlisle and I will come to them head on" Tanya said but it was evident in her tone she wasn't the happiest about this plan, or at least her part in it.

"Yes. Tanya and Carlisle will come in head on. They'll expect it. I doubt they've ever had any type of fight that hasn't been one on one between two newborns. With them seeing just you two it will make them overly confident. That way Alice and I can come in from one flank and Emmet and Rose the other. Edward you're the fastest and if we want to have you close enough to Riley's location I thought you should loop the entire area and come up behind the newborns. You can take your one out and then track down Riley. We'll deal with clean up, just lessen the numbers for us before you go" Jasper said and Edward agreed, he could see that Jasper was trying to use all of the members to their best effect. Jasper new the head on approach from Tanya and Carlisle both clearly leaders in their own right and gave off a very authoritative aura about them would confuse the newborns. Emmet and Rose were very aggressive and powerful as a duo; Jasper and Alice were more technically gifted. Edward of course was the only one to truly know if he'd caught them off guard and Jasper wanted Riley captured just as much as Edward did. Jasper knew that if Riley was to flee that no one had a better chance of catching him even with a head start then Edward.

"Let's take care of business then" Emmet said with a wide grin and then Edward took off quickly moving far from his family as he took off in a completely different direction seeing the path Jasper had thought in his mind for Edward to take to come at the newborns from behind.

The seven newborns had been told to be cautious and prepared, they had since the first day of this new life been warned of their enemies, of the enemy that would deny them the one thing that gave them pleasure. Blood was all they could think about. It consumed them and seduced every part of them. Every thought was accompanied with the lingering desire of the sweet nectar that was the only thing in this torment that eased the burning suffering. Humanity was faded in their minds, not nurtured or cared for as most newly made vampires were they knew nothing of restraint. They knew nothing of the rules that governed the world they'd lived in, even the things that had been told to them was not always true. As these seven had learnt at the instruction of Riley, the man all of them remembered before the three days of fire had started. All had the briefest of memories of Riley and a red haired woman with a predators grace that had leapt at them before everything had faded and been swallowed by agonizing pain.

The yellow eyes were old.

The yellow eyes were powerful and they were what stood in the way of having all the blood they could possibly want, they'd been told this over and over. The yellow eyes had powers that made them deadly, but with strength of newborns they would end those who would dare to stop them from quenching this never ending thirst. The forests felt unnatural to them all as they moved amongst the trees clothing thickly drenched through from having to submerge themselves in water. Riley had pointed and sent them on their way, they were used to the hunting grounds of the city, and it was easier to grab humans in a city. They were unprepared and untrained running completely on instinct, their new bodies and minds still so very foreign to them everything they did seemed to be the opposite of what they knew to be normal and yet they had no control to stop themselves.

They were instinctual blood thirsting beasts, the men and woman they had once been were gone completely now.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N Hey everyone, okay first of all I just wanted to say thank you all so very much. I couldn't believe it when I checked here and found that I'd hit 200 reviews. When I first started to write this story I'd honestly not even been sure if I was going to put it up on the site, just wanting something to do for fun. Only as I'd kept going with it had I felt maybe it was time to see what other's thought. I'd never expected the kind of response that I've received from you all. There has been so much support from all of you guys and you make writing so enjoyable when you know that people are just as excited to read the next chapter as I am to keep writing them. So many of you have recommended this story some on sites and others of you to friends and then even some on their own stories. It's blown me away how amazing you've all been. I hope I can just keep getting good quality chapters to you that you'll continue to enjoy reading. I just wanted to make my appreciation to all of you clear, you've all made me very happy that I actually posted this story instead of it ending up hidden in a folder somewhere.**

 **This chapter has no Beta but I do believe with the help of Trillion I may have a Beta that is interested in helping, I will however have to find the time to send her a message and see if she is still interested. It will certainly help if I have a Beta, it freeing up some more time to keep writing for all of you guys.**

 **Anyway I'll let you all go and read the chapter that's why you're all here not to read my long author notes. Just as a side note, there is a warning with the chapter. Violence will be seen within this chapter continue at your own risk ;)**

 **Enjoy :)**

 **RED DAWN**

 **SUMMARY:** Edward had always warned Bella that the pack were dangerous. Hostile, volatile and aggressive in nature. She ignored him, testing even Edward's own vampire instinct by staying friends with his enemy, Jacob. One event will change them all, Bella never truly understood the supernatural world. Didn't understand the aggression that lay dormant even in her controlled mate until it was too late. Warning: Violence and Character death.

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the Characters.**

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 **Chapter Thirteen**

Edward had followed the thoughts of the newborns.

Their hunger for blood was so loud in his mind, that it almost made his own desire for blood heighten at just how painful the venom in their mind was. So far removed from that time in his own existence, he'd almost forced away those early days when all he'd wanted was to get to the human's that he could hear screaming in his head. Carlisle had been a large help in keeping him sane in those early days, when it had only been the two of them, not only with his struggle for human blood but his mind reading too. Haunted by them not only with the constant bombardment of their thoughts but the knowledge of how close they were and how vulnerable and defenceless they were to be, should he want them. The thirst for a newborn was insatiable but he'd faced something even since then more destructive, the blood of his singer Edward knew now though had Bella not been more than just his singer he'd have never been able to resist her sirens blood call to him. Edward knew it was near impossible for any vampire to resist the call of their singer. Emmet had come across such a scent twice in his existence and not been able to stop himself. The fact that Emmet had come across such a thing twice in life was a phenomenon all in itself. Edward had seen from Aro's mind though just how unbelievable it was that any could stop the initial instinct to hunt that scent.

Edward while he'd never wish the pain or risk of life with any vampire finding their own singer, he'd be a liar to say he'd not been curious to see Carlisle's reaction to such a call. Though he didn't believe there was a scent on this earth that could tempt Carlisle's moral code, he'd not gone centuries without feeding on a drop other than those he'd changed to throw it away, all those years of struggle. It was easy to forget that even Carlisle at a time had been just as tormented by the newborn thirst, his fear of what he was and need for destruction had taken him away from human life. His starving his new body had eventually gifted him the solution when he'd finally come across a wild animal while waiting for death.

Animal blood.

There the lifestyle that they'd lived by under Carlisle's guidance had been created.

Edward was no longer blind to how much fate could be seen in that simple moment in Carlisle's life all those centuries ago, a man who had been so disgusted within his own creation. A religious man. A man who still at heart had been a boy trying to impress a father with such high moral standings that it had almost crippled him. Had it simply been a human who had stumbled across a starving Carlisle this entire world they shared together could be so vastly different. Edward doubted Carlisle would have ever become a doctor, he'd have never found him in a hospital bed dying of the Spanish influenza. Carlisle would have never fixed a younger Esme's broken leg. He'd have never found Rosalie Hale dying in a street. Rosalie would have never found Emmet and brought him to Carlisle to change. Alice would have awoken blind to this world with only an image of Jasper but the two would have never known of the alternate diet. Edward doubted Bella would have survived the day Tyler's truck had veered off the road. It was so stunning in his mind, how that one simple moment of complete chance had in effect gifted the life they shared now, the family they all had was because of that one moment in time.

Like a sign from the god Edward believed had abandoned him had given Carlisle the solution to his suffering and prayers.

As Edward listened to the complete consuming need for blood he couldn't help but find that his own belief in not feeding traditionally was only further held stronger, the animal diet had given him so much. It had allowed his family to build and grow in strength. It had allowed him to resist that initial desire for Bella's blood and given him just enough control to run and gain back his will to not harm her. It had given him the control he'd needed and now he was strong enough to let go of some of that control and be gifted with all those things he'd always wanted.

Edward inhaled, his nostrils flared he'd moved past a good ten feet away from where both Alice and Jasper were running to take the flank they'd been given. Edward could hear just off a mile away Riley, he was in the trees he had a good vantage point to watch the newborns he'd sent. The wish to hunt down the puppet in Victoria's plans was hard to repel away he couldn't leave his family without his assistance in this fight. While the numbers were evenly matched every one of them would be out strengthen. Only Emmet even held something close to that of a newborn strength but even he couldn't expect to simply best a newborn on brute force. A vampire was at their physical pique during the first year of life, if it was controlled it would make for a formidable and incredibly destructive weapon. The main issue however was what they held in strength they lacked for in control, they ran only on instinct and by the time they slowly started to fade away from the blood lust haze the strength had waned significantly by then.

Edward saw in Riley's mind the moment that he saw him, he'd almost missed the movement but it had been enough, a wild blur of untamed bronze hair mixed amongst the trees and Riley had gone. He'd run right towards the direction of La Push, he was following the similar routes that Victoria ran but without the added skill of her evasive ability. Edward knew that the only way to get him now was to move the fight forward now. Too much distance and he'd lose his read on his mind and then even his scent if Riley got to water. It was the only real way for their kind to completely cover their scent, water completely removed the trace of scent and once in water a vampire could remain submerged indefinitely. They had no need for oxygen and could just keep swimming never tiring. It was how nomads often travelled from different continents around the world not able to be in enclosed spaces for long amounts of time with humans without slaughtering them, swimming the distance was the best alternative solution.

Edward reached his position but felt his body freeze instead of moving into attack as he moved using the tree cover and bushes as a somewhat cover to hide behind. Not that the newborns were focusing on him now anyway, they had their backs to him but their eyes were all focussed on two figures. Edward knew it was Carlisle and Tanya though, Edward could see that Tanya seemed awfully resistant to stand at Carlisle's side, instead of charging towards them readying to stop them he was walking. At a human pace, hands raised as if in a sign of peace and good faith.

Carlisle had decided to change the plan.

Edward was not the only one furious with this. This was only giving Riley all the more time to escape him but Edward couldn't abandon his family, he refused to break away from the plans they'd decided upon. Carlisle however it seemed had no problem with this.

" _What the hell is he doing?"_ Jasper's mind was aggravated as he tried his best to gain some leverage over the newborns emotions to keep them in control.

" _Edward you have to be ready. If this goes badly we'll need you to play interference for us to gain some sense of power over them. Can't believe he's gone rogue on me"_ Jasper said still disbelieving of Carlisle's complete disregard for the plans they'd put in place. It deeply offended and upset Jasper especially considering his own mate was with him very much in this dangerous situation while Carlisle's was safe away from here at Jasper's own request. He felt a sense of betrayal that Carlisle would risk his mate when he'd taken to have Esme removed from harm's way.

"You must stop your advancement on these lands" Carlisle said which only furthered the newborns aggravation, they'd been told about the claiming of land that the yellow eyed coven had. How they'd taken human pets within their own coven to show how powerful they were, this man was denying them and there was only him and a female.

"Yellow eyes" a man sneered his name was Nathan he was short but stocky, with a narrow waist but broad set of shoulders he looked the most physically powerful within the mixed group of newborns. At least he would have been as a human, Edward assumed now they'd all but evenly matched in strength within the seven newborns. Edward felt himself hiss as Riley's mind faded out then moving past the distance that Edward could keep read of his thoughts he'd have no way of telling his location now without using his sense of smell. He'd never been an exceptional tracker in that regard he'd relied too much on his mind reading to aid him in tracking anyone he was following.

"Yes I have yellow eyes. It's due to my diet. My family also share in this lifestyle that affords us a more acceptable eye colour to the humans" Carlisle explained as if he was trying to convert these wild newborns, Edward couldn't believe what he was hearing. He wasn't sure who he was angrier towards then, those who would dare to risk his family or Carlisle who was looking to convert threats to their lifestyle. Edward couldn't recognise the man he'd always believed a good leader and father with this man right now. He couldn't understand his motives even hearing his thoughts.

"Carlisle we're not here for a fucking talk" Tanya said aggravated as some of the males with the group were eying her with a lust filled aggressive hunger that made even the succubus wary.

"This doesn't have to end in more fighting" Carlisle said to her then turning to face the newborns, looking from them each seeing the dark black eyes. The hunger was strong in them all, they were used to being allowed to glutton themselves on human blood. This had bred them to be even less controlled then any typical newborn.

"We have claim of this land and we protect the humans within our land. You risk exposure. While I can't expect you all to follow my family's lifestyle I hope you all would consider it. We are not your enemy. We will protect our land and the humans here, we have you surrounded" Carlisle said completely devastating the plan and any surprise that they'd have from those who still remained hidden.

" _Oh shit Poppa Cullen has gone senile in his age"_ Emmet thought wide eyed seeing that Carlisle had just revealed to the hostile newborns that they were surrounded, he'd ousted the rest of his family. The newborns were now wildly looking around them in each direction, their anger was growing to exceptional levels and Edward could see Jasper struggle to control it then.

" _You damn fool"_ Jasper hissed in his mind, he knew then that he'd need to step in even though it wasn't how they'd planned and that the newborns would see them coming he wasn't about to leave Carlisle completely without protection even if he'd ruined the plan.

"Edward now" Jasper said in a hiss that carried throughout the area surrounding them all, while Jasper knew he hadn't needed to voice the order he'd done so more for Emmet and Rose across from them to allow them to know that no longer were they to wait.

The newborn, Nathan had finally had enough his rage had bubbled over and the most set in his instincts had gone to move towards Carlisle and even then, in spite of Carlisle risking them all Edward reacted. He placed himself in harm's way knowing that he could protect the man who had been like a father to him. The man he knew who was still struggling so deeply with the actions of his family. Before Jasper had even spoken aloud Edward had already broken from his position behind the vampire's before him. He lunged quickly propelling himself in a strong leap over the vampire's standing behind Nathan as he'd moved to crouch and gripped hold of the broad male's shoulders. Edward used the momentum and force of his own movement and speed to bounce on the balls of his feet, flipping his own body over the back of Nathan's while still gripping painfully tight into the very shoulders of the vampire. He pulled him over and sprung Nathan airborne in the direction of his larger brother Emmet.

Emmet had just broken from his own position ahead of Rosalie and could see the newborn sailing through the trees and leapt up tackling him. With a sound that could only be compared to thunder clapping, as two mountainous immortals clashed together in the impact. The moment they hit the ground almost causing a crater in the harder mud of this area of the forest, as chunks of mud and grass was sprayed upwards from where Emmet had powerfully driven Nathan into the ground.

Edward found himself vulnerable then in his aiding in stopping Carlisle from being attacked, he'd placed himself in the centre of the mass of the remaining six newborns. They lunged at him then together, Edward tried his best even with his mind reading though he could only do so much against so many numbers and instincts were hard thoughts to follow. They resembled more a wild animal, reacting on the smallest moment of thought barely did the mind register what they were doing before they'd already reacted. He felt the harsh slash of nails drag down his chest from one of the females as she lunged at him and felt the agonizing sting as she sank her teeth into the top of his arm. Rose had come to aid her brother though, leaving Emmet to fight with his own newborn away from the rest she'd seen Edward struggling to fight back the far superior vampires and gone straight for the female that had attached herself to Edward.

With a sickeningly placed punch into the back of the females head Edward felt her teeth sink deeper into his flesh and then completely dislodge as he heard the crack of marble skull at Rosalie's well placed fist. Edward then took advantage of the stunned look flipping the woman off him twisting her body in a strange angle, with his arm wrapped around her head while her body was arched awkwardly her stomach facing up in the air. With a vicious twist and pop as Rose kicked the woman's legs from under her own body, the head popped off audibly and flew across the small space they fought in, the head taking out branches as it rocket past others engaged.

Alice and Jasper had kept to the intended pod of two, they moved in an almost synchronized dance as they twisted and used each other to leverage themselves around the bodies lunging at them. With the newborns so unused to fighting and untamed in their own instincts they found themselves having to move from target to target in the circular area that the newborns had been closed in on. Jasper was stunned at just how poorly these newborns were at fighting, they leapt and tried to bite which he understood was normal for a newborn but they'd taken to fighting in a very human like manner. Punches and shoving. It was a pathetic showing of skill, not nearly the type of fight he was used to, and Jasper had become almost arrogant in his own assessment when a female placed a well delivered kick that had sent Alice reeling into the tree line violently.

Felicia as she faced a fight like she'd never seen before was beginning to remember, it was a blurred memory but with it came back to her fast even as she tried to avoid the sprite female with short hair. Memories of training, of the itchy white uniform and proud smile on a man's face who cheered in the stands at her. She was remembering her human life, the martial arts training she'd taken part in throughout her childhood and then even into her adult life. As the memories faded and she came back too, it felt almost natural to her then as she swiftly swept her foot upwards and slammed it into the side of the small yellow eyed woman's face.

She didn't have time to gloat though.

The man who fought alongside the pint sized woman was on her quick, he looked like the devil himself skin so marred that it sent a wave of panic through her entire body that made her tremble. She blocked and parried but with everything she did it was like this guy had a solution, he didn't fight in a particular style but in multiple ones. Her memories showed her what she knew but even she didn't have the wide array of moves, attacking or defensive this man had. He hit her, with open handed strikes like slaps, they blinded her visions as he sent hard chops of the back of his hand across her face making her skin crack and flack under the power of his blows. Even when her mind pleaded for him to stop, when her body felt like it couldn't continue any longer he continued to rain down upon her with a savage brutality. She felt the moment his knee hooked behind her thigh and swept her from her feet. How fast he moved as he took claim of her throat while she was still falling and the moment his knee came out beneath her back stopping her dead in the awkward angle. Her face completely unrecognizable then, she couldn't remember why she was there, why she'd felt the need to fight even, but as his open hand came down over her throat as he held her at his mercy. She'd remembered the man in the crowd cheering as everything went black.

Jasper dumped the female's body to the ground once he'd removed her battered head. Pressing his knee down into the centre of her back he removed both arms and then the legs. He knew all too well how vampire bodies had a nasty ability of reattaching even without aid if left too close together and mostly intact. The girl had been good, with time she'd have been an exceptional talent with her skills in the technique of martial arts. She was the enemy and had hurt his mate though, it had to be done. Jasper stood then, rushing off in the direction of where Alice's body had been sent sprawling into the trees quickly moving to make sure his mate was not badly wounded so he could return them both to the fight. He wasn't about to abandon them before the final brawl had been ended.

Rosalie had left Edward once he'd worked his way from out of the gathering of vampires. She'd moved quickly back to join Emmet even if Emmet hadn't wished for her not to be involved. Emmet had seen fairly quickly that Edward's manoeuvring this particular newborn to him had been a strategic one. Clearly the largest of the newborns in size and that added with his enhanced strength made Emmet the only logical person to fight him. Emmet who was so used to having to hold back some of his strength, even with his family was finally allowed to take off the kid gloves as he landed hard body shattering punches. He quickly found however that this male was a worthy opponent. Nathan even wild in his untamed natural instincts hit back at Emmet, what Nathan lacked in technique and skill he made up more for in his brute force that had even Emmet having to try and block and dodge strikes instead of taking them how he usually would while fighting with his brothers. So used to always being the more powerful in a fight he was finding his training failing in areas. For all the times he'd brushed off Jasper's constant nagging that he needed to be more than just strength, felt even more true as he found himself being pinned to the ground thick fingers trying to lodge into his very neck and rip his head off.

Rosalie was there then, leaping onto Nathan's back clawing at his face and temporarily blinding him as Emmet tried to work himself free from under them both. Emmet couldn't help but remember his first memory of Rose though then, as she was above him tearing into his attacker. Once upon a time it had been a beer above him and Rosalie his beautiful blonde angel saving him, seemed she was doing so once again. Nathan was quick to throw Rose's body from his back sending her roughly into a nearby tree and toppling it over under the force of impact as Emmet roared viciously underneath him and then brought his head forward cracking Nathan's face. The fractures splintered over his face from the force of Emmet's skull hitting the centre of his face, his nose all but pulverized as chunks of hard vampire flesh exploded away from his face. Thick globs of venom seeping out of the now missing nose congealing and hardening already but Emmet could see instantly he'd shattered the man's teeth too. The pain Nathan was suffering gave all the opportunity he needed to flip Nathan from above him and finally remove this weakened males head.

Tanya and Carlisle fought side by side, two sides of the same coin in many respects to the styles in which they approached the fight before them. Tanya was one completely held with offense. She was quick and lethal with no holding back even when it could have cost her injury to herself even. She was the epitome of all offensive. Carlisle at her side fought with measured control and agility, everything was defensive he neither made movement to strike at any time but was ready and prepared to parry or reverse any strike offered to him. Even when his defensive skill left the vampire open to lethal ends he did not take them, he did not take the killer blows that would have freed him from his fight instead he appeared to be playing with the newborn as the rage only built inside of the male more. Carlisle had no intention of being the one to end this man. Tanya had every intention of destroying the newborn male she thought. The male snarled venom leaking from his mouth he'd attacked Tanya mainly for the attraction he'd felt for her in his twisted instinctual belief that by beating and dominating her he'd have every right to claim her after for his own pleasure. Tanya knew this without having any gift like Edward or Jasper, she knew when someone wanted her, knew when someone wanted her enough to go to disturbing ends to take that. She focussed her seductive aura even more heightening her own appeal to the already uncontrollable newborn as he all but foamed at the mouth with the excess of venom in his mouth lunging for her desperate to injure and then claim.

Tanya span using her hip to send the male sprawling into the mud, almost taunting him like a bull as she span and twisted her way around and then leapt into attack. Tanya used her fingers more like claws slashing and swiping at flesh feeling gauges of hard skin peel off under her fingers as she made contact. She continued striking at his throat and shoulders slowly working down the skin around his neck before screaming out in a predatorily, almost catlike snarl as she attached herself to the newborn wrapping her legs around his waist and sank her own teeth into his already wounded neck ripping large chunks of his skin free and spitting them aside as his head fell limply away from his still twitching body.

Edward ignored the sting of his exposed bites and the few scratches he'd taken from the female, Rose had left his side then to help Emmet leaving Edward to fend off the man who charged him. Edward could see that the man had been in some sort of physical type relationship with the woman he'd just killed. They weren't mates but Gabe was enraged, enough by having witnessed Edward pop her head as cleanly off as it had fired off into the distant trees. Edward had stood firmly his powerful legs kicking down into the ground as Gabe tried to tackle him around his waist his power sending Edward back but not really an affective move, not against a vampire. Edward used the completely exposed back to beat down upon the males back, feeling the newborn give out slightly under him he'd pushed Edward a fair distance away and the track marks of Edward's feet kicking up the mud showed that. Edward hit into where his kidneys would have been as a human and then forcefully brought his knee up into Gabe's gut. Only then to find that Gabe had wrapped his arm around Edward's raised leg, his mind reading ability couldn't help him when he was already so closely placed between himself an opponent not when they already had some type of hold on him.

He knew it was coming but had no way of removing himself from the vice like grip without crippling himself completely and losing the leg. Gabe twisted the leg at an awkward angle sending Edward sprawling to the ground, Edward from this vantage point using his sense and knowledge from the minds around him of his own location with him on the ground with his back to Gabe. Edward shoved himself up off the ground in a push up position, sending his body off from the ground as he twisted his body feeling the crack of his other leg under Gabe's grip almost pop from the joint as he slammed his free foot into the vampire's chest. It sent Gabe sailing away but he'd been aware enough to keep hold of Edward's foot as the kick sent them both sprawling in the direction of the kick Edward hand landed. Gabe landed roughly to the forest floor with Edward above him, Edward was more aware now and not nearly, in as vulnerable position as he had been. He slammed the palm of his hand upwards slamming into Gabe's throat and felt the satisfying shriek and crunch as his vocal cord crumbled. Edward agilely then rolled his body onto the back of his shoulders and flicked his tall frame up onto his feet.

Gabe was there too, all while his mind agonized over the pain and the added venom that was being fuelled towards his injured throat, healing the damage Edward had inflicted upon him. Edward took advantage of his abilities then completely, one on one with an untrained vampire it seemed more like he was playing with Gabe then as Edward blurred even to vampire's sight in moments as he struck out against the brash and wild swings of Gabe. It was a sight to behold as Edward showed that lethal speed that had made him legend in its own right amongst nomads during his travelling during his rebellion form his family. A speed, that Aro believed unmatched by any other throughout the world of vampires in creation. Gabe had no recollection of ever fighting and he'd barely survived numerous confrontations within the army that Victoria and Riley had put together. Gabe had been fortunate that when he did come to blows the few times he'd been so close he'd been able to take his target completely off guard.

He relied far too much on his strength.

Edward was punishing him for it now.

Edward feigned to his left as Gabe flailed out trying to strike Edward across the face, then dipping down and bring his elbow down upon the bent knee of Gabe. Edward felt the knee cap completely implode upon his strike and watched in an almost thrilled adrenaline of the unbelievable pain it was causing his enemy. He couldn't even scream out his throat was so deeply damaged still that it came out like a chocked gaggle sound with venom spewing out from his mouth. Edward moved then not to hesitate for a second as, he span on his knees twisting his body under the arms that came to wrap around him dodging it with all the grace of a seasoned contortionist. Edward placed his large hand around the second knee then grabbed around Gabe's ankle and brought it up and outwards at a ninety degree angle snapping out horrifically as Gabe fell to his already destroyed knee and Edward discarded the bottom half of his leg.

There was a moment then, as Gabe looked fearful at Edward's blood red eyes, they'd been told all about the yellow eyed members of this coven. That ruled over the entire area who would kill them because they held claim over the blood, seeing this red eyed male confused him even though he matched the description of the one who had the human pet his eyes weren't yellow like the others. Gabe looked at the sinister smile that sent ripples of terror through his broken body, he'd thought he was strong that he'd never be made to feel weak again but here he was crippled, weak and he knew death was coming. He'd created death, believed himself a bringer of it, now he was seeing a true creation of death and destruction in the face of a man who would smile at him before taking his life.

He wasn't ready to die.

"Please, mercy" Gabe cried out roughly his vocal cord appearing to have fitted together somewhat but Edward shook his head reaching forward with his hands and placing one under Gabe's jaw and the other at the back of his head readying to rip the head clean off from this vampire.

"Rosalie, no!" Edward roared becoming distracted. His mind, moving away from the neutralised threat within his very grasp as he detected something within his families own fighting that he'd been blind to see before. They'd never considered the need for Eleazer, with him wanting to stay behind to help Kate protect those weaker in the family. His lack of confidence in his somewhat new appendage they'd not considered the possibility of a gifted vampire.

Across from Edward, he'd caught just at the last possible moment that Emmet was readying to end another vampire, he'd dealt with Nathan and now moved onto the only one remaining active. Tanya had killed her own newborn and she and Carlisle had the other restrained to the ground, this immortal though was different.

She was gifted.

While she had no idea what it was, her fear and panic had activated her gift as she'd gone from being within Emmet's grasp to vanishing from the place she'd been, to appearing behind Rosalie. It had all been so fast and only Edward had picked it up in that moment as the confusion had clouded the woman's mind and then her desire to end the blonde. As she attacked an unsuspecting Rosalie from behind, tearing both of her arms from her body. She'd not been smart to target the head straight away but she'd left Rose in pain and immobilised and was readying to behead her.

Edward hadn't been able to stop himself from calling out to her as he'd watched his sister's arms come clean off with the ripping metallic sound shrieking around him. Edward hadn't been able to focus on if Rosalie had made it or not, as suddenly he found his arms pinned to his sides and then two impossibly strong arms tighten and then squeeze. Edward found himself incapable of even calling out for help as the shattering strength seemed to only grow even tighter. His mind screamed around his own pain though as he felt his insides being crushed feeling every bone within him snap and shatter. Felt the moment his own spine snapped and his legs under him became useless, then to even add more insult to injury the moment when he felt teeth tear into his neck ripping violently into his skin.

The one rule that they'd all had drilled into them by Jasper was not too ever allow a newborn to get their arms around you because they'd simply be able to crush you to pieces within their grip. The strength of a newborn was so impossibly heightened in that first year that they were capable enough to kill an immortal from simply crushing one to pieces. Edward had only ever seen it once but not first hand, he'd seen it through a memory Jasper had. Edward had watched through Jasper's memory as the splinters and cracks had formed over the vampire until it seemed to explode under the pressure the newborn delivered. Only small broken pieces left behind like a jigsaw puzzle of flesh that would never be placed back together. He'd been distracted by Rose being harmed and he'd needed to warn her, he'd arrogantly believed his enemy so beaten that he'd not take advantage and now he was paying for it, as he felt even his arms grow numb, a strange feeling washing over him he'd never in his life felt since waking to immortality. Slowly feeling unconscious taking him, even then he could see the blackness in front of his vision. He'd failed Bella and his family, he'd promised her he'd come back and now he might not be able to keep that promise. He found his rage in that screaming out struggling within Gabe's grip and then suddenly he was free.

" _Release me"_ Edward had roared wildly.

He'd screamed it around them in a tone that had been so frighteningly animalistic it had sent birds even a distance away, in trees into the skies to flee from the sound. What had surprised Jasper though who had been coming to aid Edward seeing him in the vulnerable position was that when he stepped into the space around Edward and the newborn he didn't only hear the command with his ears. He'd heard it rip through his very mind and all but brought him to his knees, it had been so loud it had stopped and halted Jasper in his very tracks stunning him. Even more so was the sight of a newborn completely out of control in its anger and fear that instead of continuing to destroy the threat to its life. The newborn had shoved itself away from Edward clutching at its head whimpering the same words.

Jasper didn't wait then seeing the prone newborn and moved to it flipped him onto his stomach and pressed his knee into the centre of his back. And peeled his head away from the bottom half of his jaw, throwing it aside discarding it. Alice finally healed but not completely lucid still was coming to enough that she went to Edward's side to look him over. The female had nearly kicked Alice's head from her neck. It had been enough to knock her down temporarily but with Jasper's help she'd recovered quicker then had she been forced to let it heal without help. Alice was sitting at Edward's side pulling his head into her lap as Jasper approached lifting Edward's shirt and hissing at the sight of his brother. He wasn't as bad as Rosalie. Emmet was taking care of reattaching her limbs. Edward though, his body was littered with what could only be described as a cobweb of fractured lines over his entire torso and chest. It even looked bruised with the purple colouring around the lines and against his naturally pale skin. His arms were all but ruined from being trapped between his body and that of the newborns grip. Jasper couldn't even think to question the strange events. Of hearing Edward in his own mind and what had happened to the newborn while it clutched its head, while he moved to help fix Edward's barely attached arms.

"Shush, it's okay. Just going to take a little for your body to reset itself" Alice was whispering to Edward trying to calm his anger her fingers stroking back his hair. He had a large section of the side of his neck chewed up from the bites he'd received that Jasper knew from personal experience were going to scar badly. Edward would always carry those marks now, the fractures would fade they'd vanish once his body had the chance to heal itself, and blood would certainly help. The bites would scar it was how the venom of other vampire's worked, it was why some vampires even refused to use other's venom when reattaching a limb because it left a line around the fitted pieces.

"This'll sting" Jasper said looking to Edward's pained eyes and then snapping the arms back, watching the odd angle reset visibly and then the even paler complexion seem to darken a little and Edward's fingers began to twitch.

"My spine" Edward gritted out between teeth, he had never been more thankful in his entire existence to have both Jasper and Alice in his life, they'd saved him from Gabe and what would have been his end.

"I need you to straighten my spine. Once you do that I'll be back on my feet" Edward said stubbornly even though Jasper would have preferred keeping Edward off his feet to allow the fractures to fuss back together. He'd never seen such a wide gathering of fractures before not on a vampire that wasn't at least in parts ready to burn. He couldn't imagine the pain it would feel even with the emotional connection he had with being an empath. Alice moved back then helping Jasper to flip Edward over and lifted the back of his shirt to get a better look for which joints within his spine had been broken, as he ran his thumb down his brother's back feeling along the separate kinks and then forcefully pushed his thumbs inwards and heard the resounding crack as Edward growled out.

"Son of a whore" Edward spat his fingers dipping into the mud beneath him as he tried to grip hold of something. He was slowly coming back to himself. He was thankful to hear Emmet's and Rosalie's thoughts, while Emmet was deeply upset at Rose's injuries. Edward's warning had given both an injured Rose and Emmet enough chance to stop her head from being removed. Now Emmet was holding Rose, as he ran his tongue along the wounds on both her shoulder joints, holding her against him as he with Tanya's help set the arms back together.

"My mother was a lady, I'll have you know Edward. A real Southern Belle" Jasper chuckled and Edward could feel even in spite of his pain that he laughed at Jasper's comment too shaking his head. Edward could hear the mind of one vampire though, one vampire that didn't fit within the group. A terrified man who was still face down in the mud arms held restrained behind his back at Carlisle's grip. Edward moved to get up both Alice and Jasper helping him stand up straight as he felt ribs pop into place and hissed around it. Thankful he had no need for breathing but knew he'd need to take in a large breath soon to inflate his slightly crushed chest.

"He surrendered" Carlisle said seeing Edward moving towards him, body parts still scattered around them. The fight while they'd all suffered their own injuries was a large success, Edward wasn't forgetting however that many injuries could have been avoided had his father stuck to Jasper's plan. Edward could see even now Jasper was infuriated with Carlisle he'd gone rogue on a set plan and it had changed the fight completely. Jasper wasn't about to let it go, his Alice had almost lost her head because the fight had not gone as planned. In Jasper's mind that blame settled completely on Carlisle's shoulders.

"This isn't a human war. There is no such thing as a vampire war prisoner" Jasper said coolly with a edge of anger in his tone, he'd never been so firm with Carlisle before but felt completely justified in his reaction to him after what he'd done. Jasper then moved as Edward leant more on Alice, Carlisle not wanting to step aside as Jasper took claim of the arms Carlisle had restrained and then forced the man up from the ground Jasper then latching his hand around his throat from behind and kicking out his feet from under him sending him to his knees.

"Wait" Edward said roughly Jasper looked to Edward shocked, the emotions running through Edward, Jasper would have believed Edward would have been the first to want to execute the newborn. Not stopping him, Jasper found himself worried that with his injuries and Carlisle's thoughts Edward might be faltering.

"I have questions" Edward said evenly not wanting to have to explain himself but Jasper understood instantly. Edward had lost the chance to get Riley. He'd lost the chance to end the man who was controlling the newborns while Victoria gave him the orders. Carlisle's change in plans had caused that.

"Who created you?" Edward said looking at the male as Jasper stood behind him still holding tightly to his throat, Edward eased away from Alice even as she tried to protest wanting to help him. Edward could see in this man's mind Karl that he only remembered red eyes and orange hair.

"I don't know" the man rushed out.

"I just remember the pain" Karl looked wildly from each of the faces around him seeing that now the attractive blonde had joined them as the bear sized man and another blonde was healing. He'd not known that could happen, he'd seen her arms removed.

"Yes our kind can reattach limbs, once they've been removed. Imagine how that would feel. To endure that. The feeling of you arms being ripped off then put back together only to have them pulled again" Edward said darkly as he moved closer making a show of himself almost a he leant forward to lean on Karl, his hand gripping at the joint of his shoulder.

"See I have questions and I'm hoping you have answers Karl. Answer the questions and Jasper will end this fairly quickly. Refuse and I get creative" Edward snarled his onyx eyes set on the all but trembling man in front of him as Jasper fuelled the man's fear even more, heightening it to lengths that no human would even be able to tolerate had it been turned on them like he was using it against Karl.

"I don't know anything I swear. I don't know. I was thirsty. Riley promised blood swore the sun wouldn't burn us today that it was some rare special day. When vampires could go out in the daytime without burning up. I just wanted to feed" Karl rushed out in a ramble as Edward and those around him realised a way that Riley had skilfully forced those within the army to remain hidden, at least during the daylight hours. Make them fear burning up and the need for survival will make them instantly follow such a rule to stay indoors during the day. Without that Edward knew without a doubt that they'd feed all day long and night being newborns they'd glutton themselves. Hunting so openly though especially during day time would have exposed everything though. Humans would have known vampires existed.

"This Riley is intelligent" Jasper said impressed with the lie as he looked at Edward intrigued with this vampire now. Curious if he himself contained any ability, he'd used his own to control the newborns for Maria in the south he found it hard to believe that Riley had done so with just lies. Though this army weren't very controlled and had shown signs of killing each other, Jasper and Emmet had found numerous remains of vampire ashes during a former scouting of Seattle.

"He's also being played. Victoria has him convinced she loves him" Edward said but not bringing up how the situation was similar between what Maria had done to Jasper. Edward knew all too well the complete hatred that Jasper had for the woman who created him, the desire to end her was still so very strong within him even now.

"Today was a mistake though. He's just as inexperienced in fighting as you were. As your friends were" Edward hissed now turning his attention back to Karl.

"I want to know where, Karl. Where are the others?" Edward demanded his dark eyes daring Karl to lie to him or even try, Edward watched his mind closely seeing the inside of a type of warehouse, the sounds of a dockyard.

"I don't know. Seattle. I wasn't a local I just know there was boats around. Shipping boats" Edward nodded but he could see the whisperings of Riley's words in this man's memories.

" _You reveal anything and you ruin us all. They have many skills within their numbers. We'll move location after this hunt"_ it appeared that Riley had been forward thinking enough, that he knew if they didn't kill them all they'd need to move from where they were or else risk being tracked down. Edward was beginning to believe Victoria had no clue at all of this planned strike by Riley.

"Where was the second location?" Edward gritted out in a hiss that vibrated in his still healing chest, Edward's hands moving to either side of Karl's face his thumbs pressing painfully into his cheeks.

"Where would Riley move the rest of you too?" Edward demanded as Jasper held Karl by his throat even tighter as Karl felt the need to try and escape this man. He'd much rather risk dealing with the freshly made vampire's at feed time then these guys any day.

"I don't know anything" Karl yelled back which only made Edward angrier, he'd lost his chance to capture Riley. He'd missed out on that and now they'd move the remaining newborns, and that meant they'd gotten nothing from this entire fight except for injuries and a few newborns destroyed. Newborns that he knew Victoria and Riley would simply replace with no trouble at all. He could see that he was going to have to take more drastic measures to force every drop of information from this man. He was going to have to break his mind to have it truly open. He took no pleasure in doing it but he had a family to protect and this was his enemies' weapon before him.

"I warned you" Edward grunted as he moved his thumbs up over Karl's cheek and then pressed his thumbs into the man's eyes, Jasper was aware enough of what was happening to grip tighter on Karl.

Edward could hear the shocked minds of his family as he took to torturing the remaining newborn. He didn't care, there was no line he would not cross to keep those he loved safe, and they could see him evil or cruel. But he'd faced the possibility of losing his reason for living before. Edward would never again leave people alive who posed a threat to that. The scream that left Karl's lips echoed around the trees, as Edward's thumb nails pierced his eyeballs. The squelching, gush of fluid and venom spraying down Edward's thumbs and his hand as he destroyed the man's eyes. Edward hooked his thumbs into the sockets then emptying out the remains of what was left of Karl's eyes dropping them to the ground and then suddenly Edward was being tackled away from Karl.

The face before him though was not an enemy, not an enemy like the pack or Victoria, no this man was his father and creator Carlisle. His eyes stuck between disgust and horror as he looked down at Edward.

"What are you doing? Have you lost your mind Edward? Torture? Is that what you have sunk so lowly too now, that you would torture a defenceless man to gain the knowledge you desire" Carlisle yelled angrily his hands gripping at Edward's shoulders and shaking him as if to try and bring back the Edward of the past. The weaker version, the one who hated himself, who feared ever crossing any line. Carlisle found himself admitting that he did not like the man before him and it broke his heart. His son had become a stranger to him.

Edward shoved Carlisle off from him and leapt to his feet Carlisle staggering slightly, as Edward moved towards Carlisle his face twisted in outrage at the man. Edward almost felt the need to strike out against Carlisle as both Alice and Tanya tried to stand between both men, Jasper removing Karl's head then quickly to help try and control the implosion that was about to take place.

"I will sink as low as my family needs me too Carlisle" Edward roared at his father pointing at him as if accusing him of some wrong doing his anger in his own mind was completely justified.

"I will dirty my hands. I will carry the sins I commit and I will do it with a smile if it means we live. You consider him defenceless and yet you know he'd have offered you no mercy if the roles were reversed" Edward spat as Jasper pressed his palm to Edward's chest to try and prevent him from closing the distance. Jasper believing that to let him go now would end in Carlisle and Edward coming to actual physical blows.

"He surrendered, he knew nothing and you would then continue to do such a thing. I have raised you better. I have taught you better" Carlisle thundered back finally releasing some of his own anger at the entire situation.

"How could you possibly know? You are not the mind reader. You do not hear what I do. He knew more than he was saying. I could see it on the edges of his very mind. You think I wanted to harm him in such a way." Edward shoved at Jasper but without any intent or force simply wanting to get closer to Carlisle in his rage. As Carlisle stood his face twisted angrily and his shoulders set, this had been coming since he'd killed Jake.

"Let's get this out there shall we. Your true reason for being angry with me is that I killed Jacob Black. You believe I killed him without true provocation even though you see what he did to Bella" Edward swung his arms wildly in this belief that he'd had since the very first night.

"This is nothing to do with your actions on attacking the pack and starting a war. This is about your growing lack of control. You are becoming everything we have denied. You kill without remorse, you disregard moral codes. An unarmed man, a defenceless man and you would torture him" Carlisle returned to his problem with the entire situation, he didn't like how easy this was all becoming for his first creation. The killing and fighting, the planning for more death, even his lack of worry now over changing Bella. He didn't know this Edward and he wasn't sure he could continue supporting him.

"See to you I started the war. Perhaps in basic terms I did. You begrudge me my defending Bella. Your little treaty with the mutts meant so much to you. Even now you barely interact with your own family because you mourn a document that is worth nothing" Edward snarled pointing out to all what none had voiced about Carlisle's strange behaviour.

"Let's not forget how you almost completely derailed this here too. Jasper gave us our plans, our guidance to fighting these hostile newborns who wanted to kill not only our family but humans in Forks. You risked us all for you own personal goals and desires. To try and convert wild blood thirsty newborns to your way you ruined the entire plan" Edward then shoved past Jasper moving between Alice and Tanya and barrelling toward Carlisle. Only stopping, face to face with the man who had meant so much to him and now he felt just as much disgust in himself, as Carlisle felt for him.

"I would have never resorted to such ways to try and gain information had you not changed the plan. I would have captured Riley. The one who, I'd have been able to read all the plans of Victoria had from. I'd have known where the newborns are, where Victoria is. Everything and because of you he got his chance to escape us" Edward shoved his finger roughly against Carlisle's chest.

"That is your fault" Edward spat aggressively Jasper moving back to try and stand between them but it was no use, now the door had been opened and Edward was at least going to finish.

"Because you couldn't stand with us and what we were doing you risked us. Those you have called your own children. Look at Alice she almost had her head removed because of the fight being so drastically shifted for your need to settle this in words. Look at Rosalie, her arms removed and her head with it had I not seen, just in time to call out. Then me Carlisle, what of me? Finally I have everything I could want, Bella is my fiancée and I could have died here today because you couldn't do what needed to be done. You're a coward it isn't compassion because if it was compassion you'd at least show this to your family. You've been our leader my entire existence but now I see you aren't worthy of that position. I won't let your cowardice destroy us Carlisle. Even though I see in your mind your disgust in me, I love you enough as my father to not let your own hangs up get you and Esme killed" Edward turned away from Carlisle then distancing himself from the man who had brought forward from him such an intense rage and heartbreak. All his fears had been made true in that moment, Carlisle looking at him in disgust and unforgiving he'd failed to be what Carlisle expected and while he'd always known he would. It broke a part of him at finally facing the day when Carlisle couldn't forgive him.

"There is no peaceful resolution. Once we return I want you and Esme to prepare to leave. I want you to stay on the island while we deal with this. It's clear you can't accept this and I won't allow you to put us at risk. You can believe me wrong and hate what I do Carlisle, but at least we'll both be alive for you to hate me" Edward ended finally before moving from the area leaving everyone completely stunned as Carlisle sagged in broken tearless sobs to the ground hiding his face in his hands. Deeply heartbroken and confused.

All unaware as a similar scene carried out, miles away as Edward felt himself crumble at the realisation that he and his father would never be able to fix this now.

It seemed Carlisle did have a limit to his forgiveness and Edward had finally reached it.

Change was inevitable now.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N Hey everyone, I would first like to take the time to thank one of my readers, _Rita01tx_ she recently posted a recommendation for Red Dawn on the site RobAttack. While I haven't been able to post a comment on the site I did want to thank not only her but many of the wonderful ladies over on the site. Many of whom have left some rather incredible reviews recently that have made my day. I will admit to being very amused by some of the reactions from the wonderful ladies on RobAttack when Rita revealed to them that I am in fact male. Yes some of us do exist in the world that weren't dragged by girlfriends to watch the movies but instead were the ones dragging the girlfriend to the movies. I will admit that it was however an older sister that originally recommended the original twilight series books, while I was suffering an injury that left me bed ridden for a long period of time. And thus is where the strange obsession grew for some reason, and I later found this wonderful little website where I was able to read so many incredible stories and even attempt at playing with the idea of writing myself.**

 **I'd also like to say a thank you to _angelari7_ who added my story to a community that she runs by the name Heart to Heart. It's always very touching when you guys like my writing and story well enough to reccommend it to others and while I'm sure many of you have shared my work. I wanted to just point out to those who have gone even that extra mile, but all my readers please know I appreciate you all so very much. I try my best to update even faster due to how increible you all have been, without you guys reading it may not be nearly as enjoyable writing and posting my stuff. You have all been very supportive and it still blows me away that I've managed to keep you all with me through this.**

 **I know that many of you have felt extremely passionate about not wanting to have to wait too long for this chapter. And so instead of sleeping after my work shift finished, I'm spending the early hours of my morning editing this for you. Anyway I've let you all get to know me a little better and I hope you all enjoy the next chapter of Red Dawn and keep your eyes open, I do hope to have another quick update coming your way very soon if I can manage it well enough.**

 **Enjoy :)**

 **RED DAWN**

 **SUMMARY:** Edward had always warned Bella that the pack were dangerous. Hostile, volatile and aggressive in nature. She ignored him, testing even Edward's own vampire instinct by staying friends with his enemy, Jacob. One event will change them all, Bella never truly understood the supernatural world. Didn't understand the aggression that lay dormant even in her controlled mate until it was too late. Warning: Violence and Character death.

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the Characters.**

* * *

 **Chapter Fourteen**

The small area of the battle scene had been swallowed in a tense silence, only the sounds of a heartbroken father and a daughter still suffering the healing of her body could break the tension surrounding them. None had moved for a considerable amount of time once Edward had run. Alice had wished to give chase but Jasper had held her back. Edward's grief and rage were too much and he didn't want Alice to place herself in a situation with Edward so very on the edge. There was only one person that could reach Edward now and she was at the Cullen home, Jasper hoped Edward was still in control of his own logical mind to see he needed time before returning.

He hoped to convince him to hunt something nearby too.

Rosalie would need blood in her system after she gained the function of her arms back. None approached Carlisle either, as he sat there his knees crumpled beneath him, his hands covering his face as his body shook in his own despair. There was many emotions surrounding Carlisle and Jasper didn't believe he was the one to offer any comfort to his mentor and leader for the last fifty years. It was true that Edward was straddling that very fine line between tyrannical when his rage and adrenaline reached those heights but Jasper couldn't fault him. These things were done even by humans, those Carlisle viewed as good and worthy of saving above all else. Edward was also right that Carlisle had been hindering any movements the family had been trying to make. He'd been silently against and even unresponsive to any talk about dealing with the pack. Then he'd done just what he'd liked when faced with hostile newborns, Jasper couldn't look past that.

Edward was embracing his darker nature for the good of the family. He knew Edward enough, to know one day down the line in the future Edward would think back on this time and feel shame, guilt even. Bella and the family would need to hold him up though when that time came, Edward was not an evil man in Jasper's eyes he'd seen evil and took part in it for most of his existence. Edward was a man doing what had to be done.

"What were you thinking Carlisle?" Tanya fumed then the first to move closer to him and then to even speak, Jasper stood close by with Alice holding her hand tightly. They needed to start collecting the body parts and burning them so they could return home, being out in the forest so open, left them vulnerable. None of them were ready for any more fighting. Tanya only visibly appeared to grow more irritated at Carlisle's lack of response to her.

"Get your ass up now Carlisle. You get up and go after him. You fix this before it ruins you, he's your son. He believes you hate him and instead of manning up you sit here and cry" Tanya hissed as Carlisle moved his hands away from his face glaring at Tanya then as she fumed at him without restraint.

"What would you have me do? I can't condone what he's done. I can't look past this. When he hunted humans, I let him go. Knowing I couldn't stop him. I know how this tale ends Tanya. He will continue down this path, he will act in horrific ways because he's too stubborn to see his mistakes. This is not about ruining me it is what this will do to Edward. He'll never forgive himself when he returns to himself. When he thinks with logic instead of anger" Tanya only growled louder at Carlisle then as both Alice and Jasper shook their heads at Carlisle.

While some had been more accepting of Edward's reaction to torture the newborn they'd seen he'd done it in the hope of ending Victoria and her army. While even Tanya and Alice hadn't agreed with his method they'd seen how it would work, Jasper had been just as prepared to do what needed to be done, his anger fuelled by Carlisle's disregard for the plan and Alice being harmed.

"Are you so blind Carlisle? Are you so blind to see that he's doing this for all of us? He's doing it so you don't have too. So I don't have too. He is protecting us" Alice said from her position at Jasper side her own anger rising, she'd felt incredibly protective of Edward seeing him so badly injured on the ground not moving before Jasper had helped in resetting his spine.

"He's protecting himself. These fights I should have never let things get so far. We should have never returned. We should have left with Bella long ago. I have allowed him to make too many mistakes without stepping in. I can't keep letting him make the wrong choice" Carlisle said shaking his head weakly truly believing in his own belief that he was trying to finally stop Edward from ruining himself.

"He's made mistakes. We all have. For you to sit there though, and judge him. Judge him for his past mistakes and believe you are infallible in your own beliefs is sickening" Jasper said finally tired of remaining silent on his own anger with Carlisle.

"We all see what you refuse. Edward has finally accepted himself as a vampire. He's accepted that things are not completely black or white in this life. He's embraced his vampire side and he is finally allowing himself to embrace parts of this life he refused. He's moving forward with Bella, he's prepared to change her, prepared to place aside his fears of being evil to allow himself her completely. His happiness in the moments they've shared since she woke has been incredible to feel. You won't see the good in this change though because it doesn't fit in your belief of what Edward should be" Jasper said without concern of further upsetting Carlisle, he'd felt Edward's own devastation before he'd left.

"Alice has waited her entire existence to see this change in Edward. She has known all along that he would be a man of goodness and darkness. There had to be a balance. Edward has been held in a prison of his own making and all these years you've helped him stay locked away. Now he's free and you don't like it. You only see him killing. Yet what other choice does he have when his father cannot do what needs to be done. I told you long before the trouble with the wolves that this would come to pass, that they would eventually find reason to fight us. We had agreed to change Bella, you yourself voted to change her. Why is it okay for you to break the treaty in your own beliefs but not in the way Edward did to protect his mate" Jasper said pointing out the flaw in Carlisle's beliefs, they all knew how much Carlisle had despaired over the broken treaty what they hadn't understood was why he'd believed it would stay intact. Bella was always going to be changed, they'd agreed against Edward's own desire to do it soon because of the Volturi. The pack would have killed them for the offense.

"I only want to save him from himself" Carlisle said weakly.

"And he only wants to save you from yourself Carlisle" Tanya spoke out again then as Carlisle looked to her wide eyed.

"Do as he requested Carlisle. Take Esme and leave for a time. Let us handle this and then we will all come to you. Please don't interfere with your own goals. Today was risk enough with what you did" Alice said faintly and Carlisle bowed his head before slowly raising to his feet his entire demeanour slumped and defeated.

"I only wanted to have a peaceful life. A life without violence. I know our nature's dictates that we are aggressive but I truly believe we can fix these problems without violence. I hope you all see that before you do things you can no longer live with" Carlisle said then and blurred away from the forest in the opposite direction to that which Edward had gone all assuming Carlisle was returning home to Esme.

"I wish he'd open his eyes. Even Esme has agreed with most of what has been done or decided upon" Alice said annoyed and irritated her mind reaching out to try and force a visions but nothing came to her as she huffed audibly.

"It's just not in his nature. He's frozen in his state. Change is rare it's even rarer for those who have already mated. Carlisle is very much a doctor. His belief is to preserve and heal all life. When he and Edward first met my coven he struggled with accepting us even with our same diet because of the way we lived. We hadn't changed our diet to save human lives like him we'd decided upon it so we wouldn't kill every man we slept with. It was more of convince for keeping our men longer. As we've aged we've come to see the good in our choice but it was never done in the way Carlisle had come to this life style" Tanya explained briefly on a time when she'd first been introduced to the very rigged doctor and his tormented progeny. The meeting between them had been brief she'd noticed a more care free attitude to Carlisle when she'd met him a few years later with a mate at his side that time.

"It's an issue we no longer have to worry about. While I want the situation resolved for our family Edward is right to send Carlisle away for a time. What Carlisle did today could have cost us so much." Jasper said gravelly clutching Alice's hand tightly as finally they turned to see Emmet. Walking towards them with a clearly still shaken Rosalie under his arm, clutching her arms across her chest together as if to remind her that they were still there.

"Rosalie how are you feeling?" Alice rushed out concerned. She'd not seen the attack that had resulted in her losing her arms but she'd seen Emmet rip the woman in two who had done it as Rose had been on the ground withering in agony.

"She's okay just a little shaken" Emmet answered for Rosalie when she didn't answer her face still twisted in discomfort, it was the first time she'd ever experienced being torn apart it wasn't something she wanted to ever experience again.

"I'm okay" Rosalie said in a weak tone that didn't resemble the normal way in which she was, it was evident to all Rose was far from okay while physically she'd heal. Mentally it may take her some time to get over the ordeal of what had happened to her.

"We do have something to talk about though. With Edward" Jasper said his mind moving to that moment during the fight, when the newborn had been crushing Edward.

That moment when he'd heard Edward so loudly in his own mind and then even the reaction the newborn had too, Jasper believed he knew what it may have been. Knew however Eleazer would once again be needed though to confirm anything, Eleazer had been dropping subtle hints for days about Edward and his developing gift.

"Something tells me he isn't going to be all that approachable at the minute" Emmet said his arm wrapped around Rosalie's waist protectively as he looked from Jasper to the others still there.

"I'm sure you're right but this is serious. When the newborn had him pinned. I heard him" Jasper said while not stating it clearly in the way that his companions would have understood, it was obvious that everyone had heard Edward's strange roaring demand.

"I think everyone within a mile heard him" Tanya said sarcastically.

"No. You misunderstand. I didn't hear him with my ears. It wasn't the verbal demand he made. I mean I heard him in my mind. It almost knocked me on my ass. Stopped me dead in my tracks. Like I couldn't move" Jasper tried to explain that strange moment when he'd been positive he'd heard Edward's voice in his mind, when he'd then watched a newborn past the point of sanity push Edward away and cower weakly while mumbling the same words.

"Edward thanked us. He thought we'd been the ones to pull the newborn off him" Alice said then suddenly realising why he'd been so grateful to them she'd not thought of it in the moment but now found it odd that he'd done so. Then realising that Edward may have no idea he'd done anything at all, it seemed like the newborn woman's gift being activated in the panic of her coming death, Edward's power had burst forward in its development to protect himself.

"Wait your saying Edward was able to mind control the newborn" Emmet said stunned then shaking his head.

"Jesus I thought the mind reading was invasive. He'll be able to turn me into a walking puppet if he can control my mind" Emmet snorted at his own comment, the other's weren't so sure that was what Edward was capable of but could see what Emmet meant.

Edward's gift had always been considered very invasive and imposing. Having your mind constantly on show to someone, allowing them your most intimate thoughts even those you didn't want known by others, had always been a hardship not only for those around him but Edward himself. The possibility of him being somewhat capable at forcing his own thoughts into another was even more so then just his hearing thoughts. It also made Edward even more valuable within the vampire world. It made him someone who could control others in a way so much more then what even Jasper could do with his emotion manipulation.

"None of this is fact. I'm just saying that I know I heard him in my mind. I heard him loud and clear and it created some type of reaction within me. With the newborn too if that was what it was" Jasper said waving away any thoughts that Edward was going to become some all powerful mind controller.

Though he had to admit the idea of such a power made him believe the tables could turn even more so in their favour if they had that sort of power in their arsenal of abilities. Not even Aro of the Volturi would be able to work against that type of ability, though Edward's mate more than likely already had the means to stop Edward's gift. Her shield already blocking his mind reading, it showed how perfectly well fitted the two were as a mated couple. Jasper knew then that they'd together likely be the most powerful mated pair in existence, there was of course powers like Alec and Jane neither had mates. There was also Benjamin with his incredible talent but his mate Tia had none. There were countless immortals across the globe but Jasper didn't believe there was anyone who would match to that of Edward and Bella once she was changed. Not even he and Alice could be held in the same regard even with his mate's unique and widely desired prophetic ability.

"I can't imagine that conversation going over too well. While he's been more open of late, he still seems resistant of talking about his ability Eleazer has made that clear. Though that was always the case, when Carlisle first introduced us we'd had no idea of his gift it was only years later when Eleazer was finally allowed to use his own around Edward did we find out. Not that some of us hadn't suspected something" Tanya said revealing to those who would not be completely aware of the history, the friendship between Cullen and Denali had been created long before even Rosalie's creation and she'd been one of the longest members within the Cullen family.

"I imagine his constant ability at dodging you, Kate and Irina..." Emmet paused then naming the third sister, seeing the pain on Tanya's face at the mention of her. He looked at Tanya apologetically opening his mouth to say something as Tanya held her hand up to stop the apology she knew he'd give, it wasn't his fault.

"Irina was my sister. I spent centuries loving her as family and I will feel her loss deep in my very bones for as long as I exist. It hurts deeply now but I do not wish for you to hide from her memory to ease my pain" Tanya said seriously, she didn't want them to feel awkward about talking about Irina. She wanted to have them open about her lost sister, it hurt her but it was better to hurt then feel nothing at all, it made her still exist in some odd way to Tanya.

"Right now we have to clean up this mess" Jasper said bringing them back to task, he didn't want to let Tanya dwell on her grief and mourning and also he wanted to distract Rosalie from her own conflict and fear. Edward needed his time to gain composure and resolve in his actions, Jasper stepped up in place to support the family while Edward was out in the woods Jasper hopped feeding to help along his injured body. They'd survived, that was all that mattered.

Relationships could be fixed, they were immortal as long as they survived they had all the time in the world to mend the bridges broken during these harsher times.

Bella couldn't help but feel the tightness in her stomach as she watched the never moving arms of the clock. Bella had watched it intently trying to decide how much time was too much. When she had right to be worried, those who had been left behind had all positioned themselves to the living room once again. Eleazer had remained standing like a silent guard over the women. Kate had taken her seat beside Bella and not wanted to part from her side. Carmen and Esme were sitting together while holding hands, both maternal figures of both sets of family it was clear how much this affected them. Even though only Tanya was out there Carmen feared just as much for every member of the Cullen's family, she'd be equally heartbroken by any harm coming to anyone as would Esme.

Esme had Carlisle out there and Bella had Edward.

Both woman feeling useless but for different reasons, Esme for her lack of ability in her small amount of training and Bella because she simply couldn't hope to protect Edward while human. So they had sat there, conversations had been somewhat forced and empty and then Kate had finally had enough, she'd felt them all being far too morose and boring. She'd had enough of being sad. She'd had enough sadness to last her more than one life time.

"So a girl has to know. Boxers or briefs?" Kate had directed to Bella quickly knocking them all from their stupor even Eleazer had chuckled all be it behind his serious expression at Kate's question to Bella. Bella had reacted as predictably as any would have expected of her as her face heated and she blushed under the lazy smile on the beautiful blonde at her side.

"I don't know" Bella said a little unsurely while she hoped to find out soon enough, her hands moving to her lap and fidgeting slightly as she looked at the ring on her finger. Her engagement ring. Yes, if the events of earlier were anything to go from she hoped to have an answer for Kate sooner than anyone would believe.

"He asked?" Esme said with a wide smile pulling Bella's attention away from her lap looking up to Esme who looked towards what now seemed to have drawn in all of their attention. While Bella was shocked they hadn't heard his proposal with their hearing, which only embarrassed her more knowing then that they'd have been able to hear all that had happened in Edward's room had they wanted too. Bella nodded a little shyly her smile bright and warm on her face.

"That's wonderful Bella. I'm so happy for the both of you. It's so wonderful having something to celebrate during all of this" Esme said genuinely happy for her new daughter and the son she'd always held closest to her heart.

"It is. It's wonderful news, congratulations Bella." Carmen offered from Esme's side smiling at her, Bella thanking both of them. Even Eleazer offered Bella a smile and congratulations as Kate took hold of Bella's hand and inspected the ring on Bella's finger.

"Expensive" Kate hummed to herself looking it over.

"A little old fashioned but then again I guess it matches Edward in that respect he was always a man of his time. A little unusual with the sapphire and diamonds sitting in the circular setting but it does look very nice on your finger" Kate said and Bella wasn't sure whether or not Kate was talking to herself at this point or still to her.

"It was his mothers" Esme said from across them with a tenderness to her expression, Bella had always found it very telling how Esme and Carlisle never reacted in any way but positive to Edward's comments in the past of his biological parents. They understood his love for the parents who he had only rare memories of, and knew how much they meant to him. It was a testament to the both of them that they'd never allowed it to discourage their own paternal love for Edward.

"That's our Edward, a romantic" Kate said playfully with a grin on her face finally letting Bella take her hand back from her own. They spoke about plans that would need to be made, Carmen was a little foreign to the concept of marrying considering that Eleazer and she had never truly had any type of ceremony to signify any type of marriage. To them it was clear they were together, they were mates no human ceremony changed that to them it was something humans did and the Cullen's on the rare occasions.

Kate was from what Bella could tell completely happy in her ways being remembered as a succubus and free to have whoever she wished whenever she wanted. Bella could respect that she was happy to be without but she couldn't help but believe that beneath her confidence there may have been a long pushed aside yearning for something more. There had been a look in Kate's eyes Bella had seen when she'd made mention of never needing to have one man be her own forever to cramp her life and dictate what she wanted. Bella was very much in the belief that a woman didn't need a man to be whole but she could certainly understand a deep loneliness of Kate perhaps hiding that she'd want to find her mate. Hadn't Edward told her how his family had wanted him to find his mate long before he'd found her and he'd always told them he was content in his self. It had only been since finding her had he been verbally open about how deeply he'd felt the loneliness, being surrounded by so many mated pairs and feeling forever frozen alone.

Kate had then felt the need to tell Bella about her first meeting with Edward, and while Kate was amusing she'd still felt a little jealous hearing about her initial attraction to her Edward. Even though she knew there was no threat at all from her new friend Kate with Edward. She did however enjoy hearing about Edward before she'd met him. She was like a sponge when it came to things about Edward, always wanting to know more. To take in more about the life he'd lived before she'd become part of his life.

"He'd been completely silent. If I'm completely honest we'd all thought he was a little slow" Kate had giggled as Bella had shook her head at Kate but couldn't help but be amused by her, Kate reminded Bella very much of a slightly toned down female version of Emmet.

"That's not nice at all. He was a gentleman still very new to what he was" Carmen defended Edward against what Kate was saying but even her expression and the look both woman shared told of perhaps Kate being a little more right then Carmen would have wanted her to be.

"Edward was always a very intriguing individual. My family weren't aware of his gift at first, Carlisle and he decided it best to keep it secret as we were strangers. I knew though just from meeting him there had been something about him, something powerful in the way he'd held himself" Eleazer spoke out then, she'd wondered why he'd not known about Edward's ability from seeing him straight away and it was clear on her face as Eleazer continued.

"Unlike some powers, I have to will myself to use the sight I have that allows me to view others gifts. Almost like an on and off switch. I suspected something rather quickly when Carlisle passed on the message, I later learned from Edward to not use my ability around them" Eleazer said with clear humour on his face at the memory and Bella could imagine Edward warning Carlisle in that silent way they had created between them over the years. The looks and slight hand gestures that crafted a very private and personal thing shared between the two of them.

"Well I'd not known a thing about his mind reading. Years I had been working on him being his friend lulling him into my den of depravity so I could claim his innocence" Kate waggled her eyebrows smirking.

"I'd finally decided to push my luck. Esme was around by then. I remember knowing I'd catch him off guard and so I'd gone to lay one on him. Kiss him and rock his world. Of course he'd have to have been a mind reader to duck and weave away from me. I remember thinking back on it for days after not knowing how he'd escaped. It became common knowledge then after that he was gifted. The fact he'd managed to repel even Tanya had shown just how unique whatever he could do was, my sister often enjoys using her effect on people. As she did on you, it wasn't malicious more a flipping Edward the bird" Kate explained and while Bella wasn't happy about the thought of Edward kissing anyone she knew she'd been his first kiss.

It made everything they shared all that much more special when she really thought on it. Edward had been a young attractive man with three older stunning women vying for his attention with the open offer of their beds whenever he wished for it. He'd rejected them though, he'd saved himself and now all those things that countless women had fantasised about her soon to be husband would forever only be known by her and her alone. It made her feel very powerful just like it had earlier. Kate was certainly doing wonders for Bella's self esteem when Bella thought about how in love Edward and she were.

Kate had moved away from her talk about a younger to the vampire world Edward though she'd made it clear to Bella she liked the version of Edward she was seeing now. The rest of those around had gone silent when Kate had brought it up, but Kate hadn't felt the need to stop as she'd made it clear her stance on this new Edward. An Edward that Kate believed was always inside of the man he'd been but simply too tightly closed off to the world to ever show it, she'd commented on his aggressive nature and while Bella had been worried about it Kate had explained it in a way that had made Bella feel oddly more accepting of it. She'd also made it clear to Bella that she'd never seen Edward so openly willing to joke and tease with his family about all aspects of his life. Where there had always been areas they'd tried not to think about or even talk about around him for fear of his deciding to distance himself now he seemed free of that.

The normally prude forever bachelor monk as Kate had began to see him as was suddenly a confident snarky ass who had no reservations about talking about or having his own sex life mentioned. Kate had then gone on to completely embarrass Bella by asking what had made her so loud earlier and Bella had tried to guide Kate away from that type of conversation. Part of her wanted to daringly talk about her time in Edward's room while more tame then she believed Kate would want to hear about but she didn't feel comfortable saying those types of things in front of Esme. In Bella's mind Esme was Edward's mother and you just didn't talk about wanting to sleep with a woman's son in front of her no matter the supernatural race they came from, no matter how much Kate tried to force it out of her.

It had only been ten minutes later that the door of the Cullen home slammed abruptly and had the entire room turning to see Carlisle, this wasn't the typical picture of calm that Bella was used to seeing in him. She'd noticed the strange behaviour of him, of course in the recent days but he looked devastated then as he walked in, Bella could feel her stomach sink then because she could only think that it meant someone was hurt or worse gone.

That the reason Carlisle looked like he'd break down in tears if he could, it created a pit of despair in her own stomach as she watched him. All while her mind selfishly pleaded that it just not be Edward, she'd survive anyone else but Edward and she knew how sick that was to hope but she couldn't stop herself. Esme had moved from her seat quickly to move to Carlisle all but throwing herself into his chest as she clung to him tightly even while he seemed slightly unresponsive to her as she hugged herself too him and Carlisle continued to look off slightly unhinged.

It was disturbing to see him like this.

It scared Bella.

"Carlisle what happened? Is everyone okay?" Esme rushed out looking at Carlisle cupping his face to try and centre him and make him look to her and explain what had happened. Where the others were and why he was alone.

"They aren't okay Esme" Carlisle said making Esme strangle on a sob as Bella felt her own throat close up as she felt like the very breath inside her had been knocked out of her Kate taking hold of Bella's hand almost too tightly.

"What do you mean?" Eleazer said then stepping forward as Carmen sat on the edge of the sofa she sat on, panic was setting in as they tried to push away the fear of losing even more family.

"They've completely lost themselves" Carlisle said weakly looking down into Esme's eyes as the rest of them in the living room found themselves only growing more confused by what Carlisle was and wasn't saying.

"Carlisle are they safe? Is what has been done fixable or have we..." Eleazer struggled to finish his sentence.

Bella knew what had gone unsaid though she knew that he was asking if they'd been destroyed. They could fix the damage done as long as the pieces weren't burnt after being torn apart.

"I don't know. I don't know if we can fix them. They aren't seeing things clearly they are allowing their darker natures to take them over" Carlisle shook his head as Esme gripped his face firmly now, enough so to stop his face completely still as she looked at him seriously.

"Carlisle I only want to know my children are alive" Esme said with no room for his strange rambling, Bella wasn't sure anything coming out of his mouth could be taken seriously then. This wasn't the normally intellectual sure worded man she'd known, this man seemed broken.

"He was torturing one of them. A newborn, he was torturing the man. He'd surrendered and my son stood there and taunted him. Taunted him as Jasper held him defenceless and then gauged his eyes out. He didn't even flinch Esme, our boy he's lost to us" Carlisle said as the room was swallowed in silence, Bella already knew who Carlisle was talking about though. For all the members of the Cullen family there was only one child within the family that would create this type of reaction in Carlisle, the one who the entire family recognised in most respects as the favourite to both Carlisle and Esme.

Edward.

"But everyone is okay? That's all that matters Carlisle" Eleazer said taking a step forward again as Carlisle moved away from Esme quickly throwing is hands up wildly, angry then at Eleazer's words.

"It is not all that matters. What matters is the way in which we hold ourselves. What is important is ensuring we do not sacrifice our very souls, our beliefs to live on. I do not want to live because we survived I want to survive and deserve it. Our families are changing they are becoming something twisted and evil. Becoming killers" Carlisle shouted and Bella was stunned, watching wide eyed believing this to be the very first time she'd ever seen him raise his voice as he seemed to be the only one who had lost themselves.

"Carlisle we are under attack. What would you have us do?" Kate voiced now standing from her seat beside Bella, she was angry with the way he'd all but lead them to believe that the other's had been hurt or even destroyed. It seemed overly cruel especially considering she'd already lost one sister to these fights that really had nothing to do with her own family. They'd come to help defend their friends and they'd been the only ones to lose so far. Not that she wanted them to lose anyone. She didn't regret coming to defend her friends.

"We need to stop them. We need to make them all see sense. We need to make Edward see what he is doing to not only himself but our family. He's going to ruin us all, we cannot carry out these acts of murder any longer." Carlisle slapped his hands together and then his eyes set on Bella looking at her with his wide unseeing eyes and then moving to her quickly. Kate stood as a means to block Carlisle path not sure what was wrong with him as Esme pulled at his arm.

"Carlisle stop you aren't acting like yourself" Esme urged him away wanted to take him away from them. She'd seen that the stress of this was all getting to him. It had been, since Edward had come back that night with Bella hurt, he was not dealing with it well and she knew she needed to get him away and help calm her husband.

"Bella you have to see this. See this is wrong. You care for the wolves. They are your friends. They were there for you when we were not. They are redeemable you can't possibly agree with Edward's plans to kill them, to destroy them. Edward will only listen to you, will only see the error in his ways if you are the one to guide him" Carlisle said rushed as Bella sat further back into her seat not wanting to look into Carlisle eyes.

Of course Bella didn't believe killing the pack was okay, she'd never wanted that and while she knew more of what they had done and how they'd never allow Edward freedom, she'd not wanted them dead. Even though she'd been told about some of the darker things the pack had left hidden to the rest of the world she wasn't sure it warranted their deaths. She knew though that they wanted Edward dead, she knew that they would attack her family now not matter if they wanted to solve the problems without violence. There was no solution for this without them gaining vengeance from the Cullen family, they wanted Edward dead there would be no forgiveness unless that was given.

Bella knew that. She also knew Victoria would continue to come for her until she had her revenge. She would keep adding to her army keep taking so many human lives to get what she wanted. Bella could see that there was only one solution to these problems. Remove the threat, they couldn't lock up supernatural creatures so there was only one choice then for these life threatening enemies. Even though she hated the thought of it she knew she had to stand behind the decision of the family, even if it was against what Carlisle believed.

"Edward is doing what he has too" Bella said just louder than a whisper and she looked up not wanting to seem weak in that moment as she wanted to make it clear to Carlisle. She was not some tool or weakness of Edward's that could be manipulated to use her to make Edward do what she wanted. She'd learnt her lesson on taking her power over Edward for granted had she understood his true depths of feelings sooner this all would never have happened in the first place.

"He killed Jacob, Bella he killed someone you cared for even loved. He says he did it to protect you but you can't truly believe that. He hated what you both shared, was jealous of it. Can't you see it's Edward who was looking for a reason for this all to start? His monster, he controlled it but now he's letting it out and I can't bear to watch my son lose himself in it again. When he hunted the humans it was bad but this is so much worse. Bella he killed Jake he did it for more than his need to save you he did it to take him out of the pict..." Carlisle didn't finish what he was going to say.

The hand that reached out came with a vicious speed, the pale back hand of a female slammed across Carlisle face so powerfully it had sent him off his feet. The slap had echoed loudly in Bella's human ears her wide eyes watching as Carlisle body moved off he's feet and spiralled in the air before sending him crashing into the wall. Bella had been so shocked by it. She had seen vampires move and play fight but never seen an actual physical blow that had all the venom of anger behind it. Bella had been already in tears before Carlisle had been forced to stop his tirade as he tried to sully Edward's name and cloud her own judgement of him. She could see what he was doing, was well aware that the man she usually respected above all else was committing some kind of deeply deceitful scheme to get his own way. First he'd wanted to manipulate her to use her to stop Edward, when that hadn't worked he'd attacked something closer believing it would hold more strength.

Her relationship with Jacob.

No one had understood it, Bella had not completely understood it but with time she'd come to realise that all those around her had seen Jacob as the third point in a love triangle. Bella couldn't agree to that though. For all his claims of love for her she'd not believed it, she believed he cared was even attracted to her but as she and Edward had spoken the night before she'd began to see things as Edward did. She had begun to see Edward's logic, for if Jake had loved her he'd have never tried to hurt Edward. Would have never tried to stop Edward from helping her when he had been the one to harm her. Bella honestly believed that Jacob had seen her just as much as a prize in the way Tanya and Kate had once viewed Edward. The bonus for Jacob though had been taking something from his enemy, the vampire he hated more than anything. Bella realised then however just how desperate Carlisle was to stop his family from ridding the threats that promised to kill them.

He was willing to completely try and destroy her faith in Edward to harm Edward enough that he'd be too consumed in his pain and need to make her forgive him that he'd not think to harm the pack. Carlisle had tried to use something he didn't understand, her relationship with Jake. Something that didn't matter anymore, Jake was dead. She could only be grateful that her fiancée had wished to give him a quick death. She doubted she'd ever give the same treatment to a woman who tried to take Edward from her and then harmed him.

So as Carlisle finally turned to look up from the floor to the female hand that had back handed him so effectively he'd been stunned and shocked to find the one woman he'd assume last to place her hands on him. The last woman he'd believe to ever react in a violent way to him as his wife and usually tender woman stood over him cradling her hand to her chest as she looked at him enraged.

"Esme..." Carlisle tried to speak weakly looking at her as if finally seeing what he'd done, like he'd suddenly come out of a trance like it hadn't been him who had stormed into the Cullen home and completely broken at the seams in front of them all.

"Don't you dare. Don't you even try to speak another word Carlisle Cullen. If you love me and respect anything we have shared in our life together you will shut your mouth" Esme yelled as Carmen moved to Bella who was now crying cradling the human girl to her stroking her hair to try and calm her.

"I have remained silent while you've challenged them. I have stood by as you've tried to control this with your own manipulations. It is done. I wanted this to be ended without violence just as much as you but this" Esme pointed towards Bella who was sobbing into Carmen.

"You would come into this house. My house and try and use Bella to control Edward. You would spew such lies to make her doubt him. You would rather take Edward's happiness from him then let him kill those who want us dead. On the day she takes his mothers ring and accepts becoming his wife you would spit in his face and ruin it. You created Edward. You created him because you were lonely, you offered a dying child a second chance knowing the burden it would be. Then you have spent your entire existence in fear of him. You have spent your entire existence scared of the man he may become, why can't you see he's exactly what we wanted. He's strong, he's tender hearted, he's protective of those he loves, he finally doesn't hate what he is and you'd have destroyed all of that to save men who don't deserve saving" Esme fumed as Eleazer placed a hand on Esme's shoulder as if to stop her advancing towards her husband who was still sitting on the floor where he'd landed looking up at her frozen completely.

"Tell me Carlisle. Tell me what was so important about these wolves, these newborns that would mean you'd rather harm Edward emotionally then have him whole enough to help our family?" Esme demanded of him wanting to understand how her husband of so many years could do this to their son. How he could risk Edward's own sanity by placing such doubt within his relationship with his mate, it seemed so cruel to Esme and Carlisle had never been cruel in her mind.

"I want to protect him Esme. He's going to be ruined when he has time to move past his need for death. You saw him when he returned from his rebellion. How he would lay unmoving, how he became so broken so filled with self loathing that each day we didn't know he would return when he went hunting. Hunting criminals was one thing Esme this is more, he's feeding his lust for death and I can't allow him to do this to himself. I thought if Bella..." Carlisle turned to look at Bella then seeing her crying in Carmen's arms and feeling the deep shame set in over himself. As he looked to Esme moving his hands to his face, pushing his hair back looking older than he ever had before in his frozen state. It looked like he'd physically aged somehow.

"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry. I just wanted to save everyone. I thought I could save us all" Carlisle shook his head, knowing how truly far his plans had fallen. He was saving no one, he was protecting no one all he was doing was destroying his own family. He was failing like he always would.

"It isn't you who is being looked too to save us Carlisle" Kate said then softly without any anger but still firm in her own tone not wanting to have to argue with him.

"We have all deferred to Edward. We are all following Edward's lead here. Jasper follows Edward's lead here. We've entrusted both Edward to lead, Jasper to strategise they have taken the place as our leaders. They are who plan to save us, not with harming emotional ties within our own family but by finding ways to protect each other" Kate shook her head deeply disappointed in this man who she had known for so long now, he had been lucky Esme had hit him when she had because Kate had charged her own power to knock him off his feet and silence him.

"Go to our room Carlisle" Esme said then while her tone weaker now it didn't give any room to try and change her mind.

"I'll be joining you soon. We need to have a talk. Things have to change" Esme said turning her back to Carlisle as he watched her intently before raising from the floor and rushing up the stairs.

"I'm so sorry Bella" Esme whispered turning to face Bella as she wiped away at her tears nodding her head, she wasn't sure why she had started crying. She'd been scared with the way Carlisle was reacting of course but she'd not been scared of him physically harming her, it was all too much. With the proposal and then Edward having to rush out where anything could happen to him, then Carlisle acting so strangely almost leading them to believe something had happened to the people she cared about so much.

"What the hell was that?" Kate said pointing in the direction that Carlisle had left in her tone was angry, still a little disbelieving of the way in which Carlisle had spoken to them all. He'd always been a very level headed calm thinker. This was nothing like the man she'd seen in the past, even in her own grieving she hadn't acted nearly as manic when she'd awoken from her head being reattached. Of course she'd awoken wild and angry ready to fight, they'd been able to calm her though and then had come the crying, there was nothing in Kate's opinion more frustrating than crying when there was no real evidence of it because they couldn't shed tears.

"This has all gotten a little out of hand. It's coming from a place of love" Esme tried to defend her husband but it was clear to them all that they could see even she was not completely able to see what exactly Carlisle was trying to achieve with his actions.

"I'd hate to see what he does to his enemies then" Kate said dryly shaking her head while her arms crossed over her chest turning her face away from them to the door of the Cullen home. She wanted the rest of them back especially with Carlisle acting outwardly strange, while he'd not said they'd come to harm or not she didn't like that he'd returned alone.

"That's enough Kate" Eleazer said ending her making any further comments they didn't need this type of confrontation and conflict within their own people, especially when they were fighting a war from both sides.

"I want Edward" Bella whispered weakly wanting to go to her own home suddenly not feeling as welcomed within the Cullen house, she wouldn't even dare to look at Esme as she made her desire to be with him clear. She just wanted to make sure he was safe and she needed to talk to him about the things that Carlisle was saying. Kate reached out a hand to Bella. Ready to get Bella what she wanted it wasn't completely selfless though Kate wanted out of the house too.

"I don't think it is wise to leave right now" Eleazer said making his opinion clear in the way he spoke, he didn't want Bella leaving or Kate for that matter he wasn't completely sure what was happening out there and he couldn't be sure of their safety.

"My girl here wants her fiancée and I personally think it's the best place for her to be right now. Let Esme have some privacy to deal with her husband" Kate said while Bella took her hand and stood up pausing to look at Esme to try and apologise but not sure exactly what she had to be sorry for but couldn't shift the feeling that she needed too.

"It's okay Bella go with Kate. You keep her safe. If you can't find Edward take her home" Esme said with a firmness that left no room to argue as Kate nodded and then Bella found herself being shifted onto Kate's back in a blur and speed that made her stomach only further twist in knots.

"Let's go find Edward and the other's" Kate said as she moved then, Bella used to the speed but her stomach still feeling twisted and nauseas from what had just happened in the Cullen home.

She wasn't sure what was wrong with Carlisle but for some reason she knew with the way he'd been acting that Edward would need her now. There was a thought though that lingered at what Carlisle had said, about Edward torturing a man, about Edward looking for a reason to kill Jake all along. Bella hated herself for even thinking about it, hated that in some way Carlisle had made her want to ask Edward about what had happened. She glimpsed down to her hand that was placed on Kate's shoulders as she had her arms wrapped around her neck seeing her ring glinting beautifully.

Her future husband was a good man, even if he did things that other's saw as wrong. Surely as long as he did it for the good of his family it was excusable, Bella would always be able to look past it. She hoped so. She just hoped that he didn't lose himself like Carlisle had said. For all the good that had come from the horrible night where she'd been hurt there had also been so much bad come from it, Bella only hoped for it to be a balance that she could handle.

Edward loved her.

She returned to that all familiar mantra in her mind as Kate closed the distance between their family and them.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N Hey everyone, this is a bonus to all my great readers that have stuck with me throughout everything. I know it's been some time since you've had back to back chapters and I've spent most of the day doing my best to write and edit this for you guys. I know a few of you have started to mention that I badly need a Beta I can only apologise if I'm missing anything terrible amongst the writing I'm doing my best. I've still got my fingers crossed that I find the golden ticket of Beta' soon and we'll have no further issues but while it's just me. I hope you can bear through it just for now, I will eventually in the future go over all of the chapters once I've finished to clean it up. That however won't happen until I've finished this story completely. I've recently lost a few readers due to some of the way in which I've portrayed certain characters and I completely understand that my portrayal may not be what some of you want. I can only hope you'll give this story a chance and stick with me. This isn't a complete rewrite with the characters of the book if it was it just be a page for page copy of the original text which I don't intend in doing.**

 **The attention that you've all been giving Red Dawn seems to just keep growing and I'm really blown away by you all and I hope I can get the time to at least get messages to you guys to thank you all. I know many of you have shared PM's with me and I'm happy to share in conversations with my readers. I feel I've made many friends due to this story so it's great getting to know you all. Anyway I'm boring you and I need to get some sleep so...**

 **Enjoy :)**

 **RED DAWN**

 **SUMMARY:** Edward had always warned Bella that the pack were dangerous. Hostile, volatile and aggressive in nature. She ignored him, testing even Edward's own vampire instinct by staying friends with his enemy, Jacob. One event will change them all, Bella never truly understood the supernatural world. Didn't understand the aggression that lay dormant even in her controlled mate until it was too late. Warning: Violence and Character death.

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the Characters.**

* * *

 **Chapter Fifteen**

Edward had hunted, he had fed the lust for blood within him not only for its calming upon his baser instincts but for his weakened body, it had been a very long time since he'd suffered an injury so severe. He'd also needed that moment alone hunting where his mind was no longer that of the man but the beast as everything ran on instinct. There was no room in his mind during that moment as he ran with the sound of wet thumping hearts sloshing in his ears. The scent while not nearly as desirable as humans was enough to bring forward his thirst, he'd brought down a stag and three deer before he'd finally stopped. He'd rested the carcases together with a gentleness that had not been present when he'd been dealing with his enemies. He could still feel his body being crushed when he allowed his mind to linger. He could still see the blackness taking his vision as he was crushed. His neck had finally sealed up but it felt strange under his skin and Edward could feel the texture differ from that of his once unmarred skin. The fractures along his torso were slowly fading fast but there were still particular areas that hinted at his almost crushed body.

His thoughts though, no matter everything that had happened couldn't prevent him from going back to the moment when Carlisle had lunged for him. In their life together Carlisle had never taken to him aggressively, he'd of course tried to prevent members of the family from doing things. Like when Jasper had almost slipped on Bella's birthday. Carlisle tackling Edward however had been a far cry different than that of trying to come between a vampire and its hunger. Carlisle had tried to protect Jasper from his mistake and Bella from Jasper that day. This day though, Carlisle had made the choice to protect an enemy, a threat. Someone who could have taken them from him and he'd stood to protect a newborn from Edward.

Edward looked at his hands, suddenly dirtied to his eyes as he looked at them, his knees rested in the mud as he looked at the torn carcases of his hunt. The coating of blood, dry and sticky on his hands, like some kind of poetic haunting. Edward had become Lady Macbeth and there was no scrubbing that would clean the blood from his hands. He doubted himself, his father's anger, disgust in him was breaking him and he tried to fight against it.

"Tell me I am right. Tell me I've not fallen. Am I still redeemable?" Edward said into the silent forest his eyes casting up into the slither of grey sky blocked from the trees above him that reached like arms into the heavens.

Edward looking to his human parents now, those who had left him behind in death. He should be happy, he'd secured his loves hand in marriage and she wanted to be with him forever. Carlisle's anger his look of complete sickness like Edward had been something different, like finally after all the decades of telling him he was a monster Carlisle was finally seeing it. The moment that Edward found a secret in his father's minds, a secret that meant two broken hearts.

Carlisle feared Edward.

Edward spoke out to the parents he barely remembered pleading with them not to abandon him too. He needed Bella he could feel his resolve breaking. He'd been made weak, he'd felt so very powerful. He'd enjoyed taunting the man, enjoyed the spike of agony he'd felt and seen as he'd taken his sight from him. Destruction was as seductive as the blood. How had Edward not seen that all along, just how darkly those thrilling powers could make one even more tempted too darkness. Edward scrubbed his hands against the grass beneath him closing his eyes tightly and inhaled. He could taste the scent almost on his tongue of Jasper and then allowed his mind to search for his thoughts. Jasper arrived only a moment later behind Edward kneeled over the drained bodies of his hunt, he was happy to see Edward had thought to hunt after he'd been injured.

Jasper however was not thrilled at the conflicting emotions that seemed to have casted an almost thick blanket around him. Like a fog had descended upon his brother, as if the weight of the world had just been placed upon his shoulders. Jasper knew this came from Carlisle, came from what likely Edward had heard from his mind, he knew then he would need to reach out to Edward then. Knew he'd need to help reassure Edward in his time of need, Jasper and Alice had been waiting patiently and hopeful of the day Edward grew to become the man of Alice's visions. Years of secret keeping and waiting patiently, Jasper hadn't believed it would come. He'd been certain it was one of those visions Alice saw that simply would be missed by choices made, she'd remained firm in her belief and now he was seeing it. He couldn't let Edward falter, not when so much risked being lost should he fail.

"Was I wrong Jasper?" Edward asked then of his brother, the leader of his own newborn army for a time. Jasper was the type of solider Edward had read about as a boy and been inspired and awed by. Edward had no doubt as a human, Jasper would have been everything his stories would have told of. A heroic young leader ready and brave, everything he'd wanted to be when he'd gone to his mother and told her his plans to enlist.

"You already know my thoughts" Jasper said moving closer, moving behind Edward and placing his hand on his shoulder firmly squeezing offering what comfort he could for his conflicted younger brother.

"We do what we must so those who can't, don't have too Edward" Jasper said sagely, he didn't believe Edward was wrong in his approach of taking information. Pain had always been used to force information from prisoners. Humans had been doing it their entire existence. He himself had used it to garner information on other opposing armies for Maria during his time in the south.

"He'll never forgive me. Not this time. I saw it in his mind. He believes I've changed too much. Believes that it's ruined the man I was. That I'm becoming everything he feared I would when he realised my ability" Edward said opening himself up to Jasper, letting him know what had made him run.

It was never a secret to all of the family that Edward would forever be viewed as the true son to Carlisle and Esme. He'd been changed at a younger age, and he'd still needed parents when he'd awoken to this life only a boy. Then he'd struggled so deeply with what he was and what he was capable of he'd needed both Carlisle and Esme to reassure him of his soul. Even though, he'd always refused to believe of its existence in him. Then he'd rebelled, his need for justice in a human world he was denied part of and then he'd returned scared of what he was becoming. Jasper knew that to Edward having his place as the favoured child of Esme and Carlisle had always been important to him. Without a mate he'd only had his family to love him. Finding that love may not be unconditional would scare him, would hurt him as much as any child is being turned away by their parent.

"Carlisle always had unrealistic beliefs in you Edward" Jasper said wanting to make Edward understand that by failing Carlisle he wasn't failing the family. Jasper would need to get Bella to him. He didn't want Edward to doubt himself. Not now, not when he'd come so far from the point he'd been. He was strong now, the family needed Edward strong.

"You have to stay strong Edward. I know disappointing Carlisle hurts. He's not free of his own faults though. I know he's always been this good infallible man to you ever compassionate and forgiving. You have seen just how deeply his mistakes have gone too. While I wouldn't call him a coward you had every right to challenge him on his behaviour just as he did yours" Jasper said as Edward turned his head to look up at him before rising from his position kneeling over the dead animal bodies that he'd fed from.

"Bella is with the others" Edward said finally taking notice of Bella being with Kate and the rest of his family as they'd burned what had remained of the newborns. He hoped Bella hadn't seen the body parts, suddenly felt a deep shame that she may have seen the face of a man without eyes because of him.

"Yes. Carlisle went home. Kate's pissed off. Bella upset he's really not acting himself and I've began to feel strange emotions from him of recent like he's hiding something. Bella didn't want you to know but I'm not about to try hide it, she's been crying. Whatever happened upset her enough to make her cry" Jasper said evenly, he didn't want to worry Edward but he couldn't, not tell his brother. Not when he wasn't even sure if Edward would eventually see it, even if he did try and hide it from Edward. Jasper already had something he needed to keep to himself until he could talk to Edward with Eleazer present too. Things that had happened during the fight that Edward seemed completely unaware of still, would need to be addressed.

"Edward I truly believe as does the rest of the family that sending Carlisle and Esme to their island is a brilliant idea. Of course it might cause rifts but essentially we're keeping them safe. Kate and Tanya have been biting at the bit to get an attack planned for the wolves. We've hesitated because of the disagreement within our own family" Jasper explained then reaching out and grabbing Edward's forearm shaking his arm, Edward returning it.

"Are you sure it wasn't you that Alice saw leading us Jasper?" Edward asked with a slight smirk.

"I'm no leader. I have my place as all pieces do on a chessboard. I've known for some time you were the king and Bella the queen. I've made plans to contact friends. Charlotte and Peter. We may need them, they're well trained already too" Jasper said in a way that allowed Edward to disagree with him should he not want two blood drinking vampire's present with Bella still human. Jasper trusted Charlotte and Peter but he could understand Edward being wary.

"No that's a good idea. We're still unsure of the wolf numbers. The silence on their side has worried me. The fact that now Riley is getting daring makes me worry also. We were lucky today, that they were so untrained." Edward agreed that adding more people they could trust to their own numbers was much needed. He'd need to decide upon a way to ensure that Charlotte and Peter weren't feeding on humans around their home.

"No human hunting while they stay with us" Edward said then firmly decided on this, Carlisle had always been more accommodating to those who hunted traditionally, Edward wanted his leadership known. He would lead his family differently then Carlisle and he knew that some may refuse to aid or follow him simply because he wasn't Carlisle.

"It certainly won't be their favourite thing in the world but I'm sure I can convince them to do so for the time they are here. I'll call them soon" Jasper said already deciding he'd reach out once they returned to the house.

"Not just Charlotte and Peter. I would like you to extend an invitation to Garret. He's a nomad, last I knew he was in the south. Then I'd like you to find my old friend Xavier" Edward said, he'd gone into the fight with those newborns without numbers they'd been evenly matched. Had the vampire with the gift known how to control it they'd have been ruined. The strange ability had almost been Rose's end. Edward would reach out to those he believed he could trust, even those he'd distanced himself from simply because they were human drinkers. He'd never before wanted to upset Carlisle in the past by inviting those who fed from humans into the Cullen home.

"An old friend? I wasn't aware you had any" Jasper joked teasingly as Edward and he then finally began to run in the direction of the family, Jasper could sense Edward's longing for Bella then.

"Carlisle knows of Garret. Most of the family have met him at some point. Xavier was a friend I had during my nomad days. We hunted together realising how dangerous a life alone was when you crossed mated pairs. He owes me, he'll come" Edward said simply of his long, all but forgotten friend he wasn't sure if Xavier was even still in this life but he knew that Jasper with his connections and skills with finding people would at least put together a good attempt at finding Xavier.

"Yes the forever secret rebellion you had. While I've never wanted to make you endure reliving the killing I do admit to being curious of the stories you have. You've said in the past, of times when you had to protect yourself." Jasper said as he ducked beneath a tree branch and pushed his legs faster to keep up to Edward's impressive speed. He knew that Edward was holding back though. Jasper was the third fastest in the family after Edward and Rosalie.

"Xavier had angered a coven of immortals in Germany. I'd been only passing through Berlin when I'd heard his thoughts, he was terrified. It had been a misunderstanding, the leader of the German coven Gus wanted Xavier's head though. I'd felt the need to help him." Edward shook his head amused still, Gus of the German coven had been a large imposing man of a vampire. Easily Emmet's size but where Emmet was muscle Gus was rotund with a rounded stomach he'd been incredibly slow for a vampire. He'd relied on his coven to chase Xavier.

"Xavier has a rather quick tongue. He's not overly malicious but much of what he says can be seen as offensive. Gus wanted to make an example of him. I'd tried to talk things through. I'd realised quickly that Gus didn't much care for pretty boy smooth talkers" Edward chuckled darkly then and Jasper turned to look at him with a grin seeing that he was calming the closer they got to Bella.

"Xavier and I had to fight our way out of the clutches of an angry German coven of five members. Gus must have chased us right into Pakistan before Xavier and I decided to simply end him. He'd known how to hold a grudge. Xavier has always felt he owed me. He hunted as I did on criminals. I tried to convince him to join our family when I could no longer endure it. He wasn't willing" Edward said remembering being deeply disappointed that he'd lose a friend. He'd known even then that by Xavier not wanting to change that he'd have to cut ties with the immortal.

For all the vampires in Edward's life Xavier had been the first Edward had honestly called a friend, his friendship with Xavier had then later helped him open himself up more to his family. He believed that friendship had helped Edward become a brother to his siblings when they'd eventually joined the family.

"Sounds like he'll have a story or two" Jasper said just before they reached the thick sickly scent of burning vampire as two fires roared and purple smoke rose up around the trees thickly.

"He was a good friend to me in a time when I was..." Edward wasn't sure of the words to give to that time. He'd been bitter and resentful for what he was and had been so disturbed and filled with hate of the injustice in the world by human's hands. He'd taken his belief that he could do good by ridding of the scum of the human world but there was only so much you could take from the evil of the world without feeling like it was taking over you. His entire reason was to save innocents and feel like he was truly part of the world he'd been forced to turn his back on. Only to see with each kill he removed himself further from the humans. He'd then finally had to return to Carlisle and Esme, soon after Carlisle had changed Rosalie in hopes to give Edward a companion to help sooth his burden.

"I understand" Jasper said and in a way Edward knew that Jasper understood him better than anyone else, Jasper shared a gift that gave him an intimate insight to those he'd hunted.

Feeling the fear the pain and despair was just as crushing as hearing the thoughts as you took someone's life. Listening to them fade, the only difference had been Edward had known of an alternative. Jasper hadn't even had a chance to avoid the guilt that would still sit with him even now for all the unnecessary deaths. Edward knew then that Jasper was a better man then he, while he struggled his resolve always remained strong. Edward had made the choice he'd willingly decided to kill, he could only hope that now was not a similar mistake as with his rebellion. He hoped he was not failing his family by leading them into conflict instead of looking for the alternative solution that Carlisle believed was there.

When Bella had finally come to a stop and Kate had allowed her down from her hold she'd seen the two separate fires burning, she could smell the sickly scent of something burning. It almost reminded her of the toxic fumes that billowed out when plastic burned, she was surprised to see the purplish tinged colour smoke that rose up from the flames. Her attention hadn't remained on the fires for long as she turned to see Emmet grin at her but Bella's eyes remained on what was in his hands. Emmet was carrying a head, it was mangled and destroyed, the face sagged awfully with a large grotesque crack down the centre and it had no nose. She'd felt herself almost retch at the sight of it, the feeling of nausea hitting her roughly turning away from it as Kate chuckled beside her.

"Sorry Bella. It can be a little rough. Is this your first time seeing this kind of thing?" Kate asked, she knew well enough that Bella had been present for when James had been destroyed when he'd hunted her. Kate however was unaware of the fact that Bella had been to blinded by the pain of the venom to know what was happening around her.

"Don't worry that was the last of it" Jasper called out to them a little unsure why Kate had decided upon bringing Bella with her to the scene he knew that wasn't going to go over well at all.

"We had an issue at the house. Carlisle" Kate said with clear irritation to her tone as she nodded towards Bella who looked even paler now but her eyes were still slightly red lined from crying.

"Go get Edward" Alice said simply to Jasper and he'd paused looking over his mate concerned as Alice had rolled her eyes and waved away. Jasper hadn't waited much longer as he'd rushed off in search of Edward.

"Is everyone okay?" Bella spoke out finally she couldn't help but taking in the surrounding areas, large craters of mud torn up around them some of the trees even looked torn up one was knocked down across from her. It looked like a battle scene, it looked like a bomb had gone off around them and torn up everything around them.

She felt the absence of Edward deep inside of her and that only bothered her more, like him not being here meant he was hurt in some way. The way Emmet had moved to Rosalie who was clearly isolated from everyone else gave Bella pause too. Something was certainly off about the way Rose looked. She seemed a little unresponsive and Emmet was overly attentive to her as he held Rose to him then rocking them gently. Bella couldn't hear what he was saying to Rose but it was clear whatever he was saying was serious, he didn't look like the usual happy go lucky Emmet she'd spent the afternoon with joking with everyone.

"We're fine Bella" Alice said but Tanya and Kate gave her a look that made Alice glare back, Bella wasn't completely sure that Alice was telling her the truth.

"Nothing, serious. Nothing a little hunting and rest won't fix" Tanya said then calmly looking to Bella and smiling gently, things had been awkward between them because of their initial meeting.

"Edward went hunting?" Kate asked then even though it had been on the tip of Bella's tongue suddenly even more worried that Edward had been harmed and Alice went to speak when Tanya shrugged indifferently answering her sister.

"Yes we hope anyway." Tanya looked to Alice who was shaking her head annoyed.

"I can see you shaking your head but he's fine it's not like Bella won't know. He was distracted during the fight, a newborn got his arms around him. He's hurt but nothing serious, it's no big deal" Tanya waved it off but Bella felt the panic set in, she didn't care if Tanya didn't think it was a big deal it was a huge deal to Bella.

"Why was he distracted?" Kate asked curiously now, wondering if Carlisle's strange behaviour had been the reason behind Edward becoming distracted that it had been Carlisle's fault Edward had been caught off guard.

"One of the newborns had a gift. She almost got Rose. Removed her arms, Edward saw just in time to call out so Rose didn't end up having her head tor..." Tanya stopped when Alice elbowed her roughly in the side nodding to Bella who only seemed to be growing paler by each piece of information.

She felt her eyes move back to Rose and while Tanya had said she'd had her arms removed they were still there, she'd seen the vampire's head in Emmet's hands though. She'd remembered the things said when they'd known James was hunting her, to tear him to pieces and burn the parts. The only way to destroy a vampire.

"It all worked out" Alice said through gritted teeth shaking her head angrily, she could see what the things being said were doing to Bella. Alice moved to Bella then taking her hand reassuringly, forcing a smile.

"Don't worry Bella. Edward is completely fine. Jasper will bring him here any moment and you'll see. Rose is fine too she'll need to hunt, she's a little shaken up which is easy to understand" Bella tried to force a smile but it resembled more of a grimace, she found herself in that moment again when suddenly she didn't care what Carlisle had said.

Didn't care how he'd tried to make Bella doubt Edward's motives, once again faced with his possible injury or harm she didn't care who he had to destroy or torture as long as he was okay. It seemed that Edward wasn't the only selfish one, Bella knew she was selfish she'd didn't care as long as Edward was okay. It was slightly unsettling for Bella knowing this, knowing that she was starting to view things like Edward did in respect of no one mattering to her as long as he was the one who walked away okay.

Emmet and Rose left the area soon after, Emmet wanted to be able to get Rose some blood into her body after what she'd endured and he also hoped taking her away would give her chance to open up to him more. Both Emmet and Rose were struggling with the after math of the fight, while Emmet had always before been overly confident and hungry for fighting he'd suddenly been awoken to the possible reality of what could come from fighting. Seeing his mate torn in parts had disturbed him enough, he knew he'd never joke about fighting ever again, he couldn't stomach the thought of it as he let Rose still cling to him. He'd failed in many ways in his fight, all the times he'd taken to playfully joking with Jasper and Edward over his technique when fighting hadn't been all too helpful against the newborns. Emmet knew it was time to start taking this all much more serious now. Treating it all like a game could have had Rose harmed, could have placed him in harm's way, he didn't want to become the weak link amongst his brothers. Didn't want to fail his mate Rose, he was overly grateful to Edward.

His brother whose gift had seen just in time to warn Rose as her arms had been taken to drop to the ground before her head was gone. The call had given Emmet just that moment of clarity from his shocked gaze at the vanished newborn to turn to Rose and see and lunge in one motion. He'd heard Edward's agony as he'd been crushed as he'd gone straight to Rose, it had been selfish but Emmet had to be with his mate. He'd failed Edward then, he'd not been able to return the favour but once again as Emmet had began to learn Edward always found a solution. Emmet couldn't have been more impressed with Edward had he wanted to be, where Carlisle was failing in Emmet's eyes Edward was picking up the slack. Emmet wanted Carlisle gone too. He wouldn't let his creator risk his Rosie ever again.

There had been a somewhat awkwardness between Alice, Tanya, Kate and Bella once Emmet had taken Rose to hunt, it was clear that Carlisle's return to the house had set something off. Kate didn't want to bring it up yet with Bella around in case it further upset her, so they'd found themselves silently waiting the return of Jasper and Edward. It hadn't taken Jasper long to bring Edward though as both males burst through the tree line in the area Edward moving to Bella. Bella hadn't been timid in showing her relief in seeing Edward as she'd fallen into his arms as he'd pulled her close. He'd needed the comfort of her presence just as much as she'd needed to know he was safe, though he wasn't happy that she'd been brought to the scene of the fight. As he looked at Kate, Bella nestled into his chest her arms tightly wrapped around Edward's back the ring on Bella's finger glistening almost as Tanya and Alice looked at it impressed. Alice happy that Edward had found the time to ask her but upset that he'd then had that special moment disturbed by the newborns and Riley.

"Did you really bring my mate here? It might not have been safe" Edward said firmly, while he couldn't deny being happy to have her with him he'd have much preferred she'd not been here. It annoyed him that Kate had not thought about what she was doing.

"Hey she asked me to bring her to you. I don't do what you tell me. I like Bella more so" Kate threw her hands up shrugging with no apology with what she'd done, she'd much prefer slightly aggravating Edward to being stuck in that house with Carlisle. Edward caught sight of Kate's thoughts and realised that Carlisle had gone further than just upset them, as he witnessed the memory of Kate seeing Esme actually strike Carlisle across the face in her anger.

"Can you give Bella and I some privacy" Edward said without any question behind his true statement, he wanted to speak to his mate without them listening in. He knew Tanya and Kate well enough that they'd want to listen in, while he certainly didn't want them sticking their opinions in he and Bella needed to talk. He'd seen enough just from the few images in Kate's mind to know that Carlisle had crossed a line when he'd spoken to Bella, crossed a line enough so that his own mate Esme had slapped him. The usually timid and against any type of violence motherly member of his family had been the one to silence Carlisle's tirade of what he'd been directing towards Bella.

"We won't be far" Alice said accepting Edward's word as law almost taking Jasper's hand and the two leaving, Kate seemed somewhat hesitant but eventually left with Tanya. The pod of four heading in the direction of the house, Edward would need to smother the fires before he left with Bella.

"Are you okay?" Edward asked cupping Bella's cheeks in his hands cradling her face as he looked concerned into her expressive eyes, his concern and constant need for her to be safe made her tremble. He'd just been in danger, could have been seriously harmed and still all he thought was of her well being. How could Carlisle believe he was losing himself?

"I'm the one who should be asking you. Tanya said you were hurt." Bella said then trying to look him over to see some kind of injury she didn't notice anything at first. Rose had lost both her arms but both had been intact, for all the incredible things she'd seen of vampire's she'd never seen the healing ability of the venom encased in their bodies. She'd heard about how Kate had taken a few days to come back to herself after having her head removed that alone stunned Bella that they could survive such a fatal injury.

"Nothing serious. Though I do owe Alice and Jasper. I should have dealt with the newborn faster than I had. He almost crushed me. They are so much stronger in those early days Bella. You'll be so much stronger than me when we change you, you'll have to be careful with me" Edward grinned softly trying to ease the tension that had built between them, his need to remind her of their future. That whatever Carlisle had tried to tell her changed nothing that they would be together forever if she'd allow him.

"Stronger then you?" Bella said in question distracted briefly by the idea of her ever being capable enough to be stronger then Edward who seemed to only grow stronger with each day she knew him. Not only physically but mentally as a man, there was something more to him in those recent days she'd spent with him.

A new aura of strength she found it inspiring even if she feared it sometimes, Carlisle seemed in fear of this powerful shift in Edward's personality. It wasn't fair to say his personality had shifted. He was still the same but yet he was more, more confident and self assured, he didn't internalize everything he was open and he seemed to draw the eyes of his family to him. Bella couldn't seem to move her eyes away from him. The idea that he'd ever passed for a seventeen year old human now seemed ludicrous.

"Love, you'll be stronger then everyone in the family. Even stronger then Emmet in those early days, it'll wane eventually but at first you'll be much stronger" Edward moved one of his hands away from her face softly caressing the other still leaning forward to press his lips to her forehead as Bella finally noticed.

To any other human they wouldn't have noticed it, like Jasper and his scarring of so many bites covering so much of his skin to human eyes it simply went unnoticed. While Bella was human this vampire wasn't just anyone, he was hers. Edward was everything to her and she knew everything about this man, or at least on some type of unnatural supernatural link she believed she knew. As Edward knew her even without the advantage of his mind reading.

The moment he'd closed the distance and leaned into press his lips to Bella's forehead she'd seen the slightly differed colouring along his neck. She could see it though from halfway down his throat and then covering the entirety of his lower neck and down over his shoulder were bites. Large rivets of swirling bites that twisted and scattered along his once unblemished skin, bite marks that she had known before hadn't been there when they'd been shirtless together in his bedroom. Even then as Bella looked at the closed scarred wounds on his skin she felt both panic that Edward would be in pain and then an intense anger that hollowed her stomach and tightened over her chest. Bella panted out roughly her nostrils flared as she looked at her mate, marked skin from someone who had dared to hurt him. Bella found herself moving almost without thinking placing her hand over the bunched bite marks on his flesh.

"Who did this to you?" Bella found a harshness to her tone she'd not intended, as if by holding her hand there over the marks it would simply fade from sight. All while plotting some way to avenge the wrong doing upon the man she loved, she felt lost in this hollow anger she didn't understand it and knew logically the vampire who had done this was gone. It couldn't be helped though as Bella felt so much anger, so much need for being able to strike out against the person who would cause this offense against her and Edward.

"Bella, love you need to calm" Edward hushed cupping the back of her neck Bella's dilated eyes focussed on the point where he'd had his neck bitten by the newborn.

He understood enough to see that his Bella was reacting badly, not badly though. She wasn't reacting as a human would, she was reacting as he would have, as he had when she'd been harmed. Jasper had always said their shared bond had always been strong. Marcus had even been further stunned by the link that had held Bella and Edward together. Even after months of being separated, months of heartache and hopelessness as they'd stood in front of that ancient immortal he'd seen a tie so strong it had made Marcus want to reach out to the both of them.

" _Two souls bound. Eternal together from one life to the next"_ it had been Marcus' thoughts as he'd been all but pulled from the haze he'd spent so much of his life in Volterra looking between a human and a vampire. He'd never seen anything like it before, especially not between two who had not even completely embraced the mating and consummated their love.

Edward now found himself looking at his fragile human mate as he felt her heartbeat frantically slam against her own chest her breathing hitch. She was angry, not angry as he'd often teased her being the angry little kitten, no this was something more and even in those beautiful brown eyes he saw himself in those eyes. Saw the same rage from his own face when he'd been faced with three foolish boys standing between himself and his mate. Bella was seeing it, a human was embracing that side that he'd not even known she'd ever know of until she'd gone through the transformation.

"I... I'm so angry" Bella found herself trying to match Edward's breathing she felt completely out of her mind, hadn't she come here to run from Carlisle's claims and to question Edward. Then she'd felt overwhelmed by the thought that he'd been hurt but seeing those marks on him, it had driven her crazy.

"I know" Edward whispered resting his forehead to Bella's looking deeply into her eyes as his hand massaged the back of her neck soothing her as he held her close to him.

"This is..." Bella couldn't get the words out she felt slightly dizzy from it, felt a sudden exhaustion overcome her body as Edward held her close and she wasn't even irritated when he chuckled. It wasn't the usual chuckle she was used to it was huskier in his throat and had a dark edge that she wasn't accustomed to hearing from Edward.

"You see now. You see what every moment has been like for me. I saw some of what Carlisle said to you through Kate's mind. I know you would have had questions. I understand that" Edward said in acceptance but he was somewhat thrilled at seeing this side to Bella, he didn't want to manipulate the bond they shared but suddenly he knew explaining things to Bella would be so much easier. If she could grasp parts of his emotional being as a vampire in any way she'd have to accept what he said. He'd felt her anger in that moment as she'd looked at a mark on his skin, he'd seen that anger and desire in those expressive eyes with her silent mind. She'd wanted blood or at least some type of physical outlet to her anger. Just as he'd desired the moment the love of his life had come to harm.

"You feel this. That... the anger. The..." Bella struggled to get across what she'd felt in that moment, to put words to something so violent and destructive in her that had wanted an escape. It made her feel weak and strong in the same breath, Edward's words making her confused and yet more understanding then she'd ever been. She'd accepted Edward's words that he'd had to save her, protect her and himself and that had made his need to kill Jake the only solution. Bella only saw now the reality of it, when Carlisle had said those awful things she'd doubted Edward. Carlisle had made her doubt but one look at her fiancée and mate with a mark on his skin had sent her into a twisted sickening anger deep in her gut.

"It's still there" Edward whispered as he moved back brushing his thumb across her bottom lip, the doubt in his own mind gone. Jasper had helped bring his mind back and then seeing this side of Bella he'd not believed ever possible he'd always believed her too human, too good to have a demon inside her. Had his love created that inside of her, he suddenly didn't care. They were more bound then he could have ever hoped.

"Every day since they touched you, I've wanted them all to pay. Since that night all I've wanted was to hurt them. You were conflicted Bella. I know this but you loved me enough to look past it" Edward treaded carefully with this awakening in her bond to him had the physical intimacy they'd shared unlocked something more inside of her.

They'd barely began to explore the bodily intimacy's of two mates but Bella seemed to be reacting. Blossoming before his very eyes, it was fascinating and spectacular. Though he'd never been harmed before, too draw such an emotional reaction from Bella, he wondered if it had been there all along just never brought forward. Edward knew his next words could either scare Bella or force out something darker from her, the old Edward would have held off never wanting to push. Edward knew now though he needed to cut away her doubt, he loved Bella the human but he needed his mate strong and concrete in her belief in him. He needed her strong, strong so he then could be strong for her and the family. Jasper had been so correct so on par, men like he were to do so that those who could not did not have too. Edward was a man of great destructive power, now he needed to draw out the protective side of his mate. The only way Bella could live with what he must do was to bring forward her need for him to be safe, he needed her to want his life beyond all others. As he treasured her life above even that of his family he needed to draw that from her own being.

"The pack wants to kill me. Ever since I returned to Forks they've internally thought about every single way they could do it. They've envisioned me alive and burning on a flame countless times" Edward whispered darkly, harshly and he could see it awakening something in her dilated eyes. Edward felt like the snake charmer singing a tune to his cobra riling it and readying for the snap of a poisonous bite.

"They want to take me from you" Edward hissed and found his body shoved even if weakly by human hands and then a warm body lunge at him. He'd played with something he'd not before believed inside of Bella, perhaps it was a game he'd regret playing but he needed his Bella and he knew his Bella needed him. She'd awoken his humanity; it was time for Edward to awaken her vampire.

"No. Mine" they were the only words Bella got out of her mouth before Edward had taken claim of her lips as the two kissed more roughly and aggressively then they had ever been towards each other. Edward fuelled by his own darker hungers and awareness of Bella's protectiveness. That resided in her and Bella completely for the first time, allowing herself to truly embrace all that the strange bond that they shared allowed a human and a vampire to love each other.

The grey light of the day was beginning to fade around them, the temperature cooling quickly as they lay amongst the torn ground of a battle scene. The two fires had finally burned themselves out and now all that linger of what had happened was the greyish ash of newborns that had come to his family's land to take something from him. This was a far cry from the beautiful meadow, the meadow had always been something innocent and pure a place they had shared so much when they had been so new to their love. Now they lay together looking up into the darkening sky the sickly scent of their enemy's destruction and torn earth around them. They had kissed with a fiery passion that had made them both look much more then teenagers in that moment as Bella had accepted some part of herself she'd never known within her. Some aggressive side that seemed to want to make a claim of Edward, to make the whole world know he was hers.

She had never held the type of confidence or self assurance to believe she could ever take some type of claim of Edward before but in that moment when he'd told her someone wanted to take him from her. It had made her need to steak her claim to him. Bella was aware though as slowly the kissing and touching eased their calm washing over them as kneading hands turned to tender caresses. She knew that Edward had somehow taunted that from her, she couldn't feel angry at him though. She was more annoyed that she'd allowed Carlisle to place a seed of doubt, had found herself angry at herself that it had taken so little to place doubt inside her head. Especially when she'd been so sure to take his proposal. She felt like she continued to let Edward down, like she was his greatest weak link because of her humanity. She was human and failing him, his bringing forth her aggression though had made her feel powerful, sexy even as he'd gritted his jaw and hissed out in pleasure of her lips and teeth on his neck. Not that she'd ever be able to mark him, or he her not yet but one day they'd carry each other's mark.

"I need to know that you can accept what I'll do Bella. I need to know you stand behind me firmly. I can't do this without you. I can't do this if it means you holding something back. I've killed your friends, I will kill more love" Edward said while looking up into the sky with an almost sombre expression on his face, even then Bella couldn't have found him more beautiful his face set and the light barely casting over his smooth skin.

As this man spoke of killing people she'd been friends with she couldn't see him as evil, the only thing that made her hesitate was the belief that one day he'd eventually feel the guilt of his actions. She couldn't bear for him to hate himself anymore then he had done when they had first met, she had not seen that self loathing as she had before in the way he'd been acting recently. She didn't want him to have to suffer or carry the burden alone, she felt just as responsible for this war. She should have cut ties the moment he'd returned to her, the second she'd left Forks to chase after him it should have been done between her and Jake.

"They'd kill you" Bella found herself whispering as her finger moved over his firm chest placing another kiss at his scarred skin, as if she could still find some way to mend that mar on his once perfect skin.

"I can't begin to explain how I felt seeing you hurt. I know you must have known. It was something special because we're mates" Bella asked but already knew as Edward simply nodded his head, she was feeling that rage because of her love. She couldn't allow him to be hurt. She knew though that she couldn't protect him, not yet anyway.

"I know killing someone is wrong. I can't help but think though that if I had to make a choice between... between everyone and you. I would have everyone die before I had to lose you. I feel wrong for feeling that way but it's all I can explain. It's selfish but... I won't lose you not now. Not when we're so close, do what you have to Edward. I don't want to be part of it but I won't challenge you" Silently Bella thought of Carlisle, she wouldn't do to Edward what his father was doing to him. She wouldn't become someone who tried to control and manipulate Edward to get what she wanted. Jake had been a friend to her in her mind, he'd not possibly been a friend though. He'd left her for dead and then tried to kill the man he knew she loved. He'd hurt people and lied about so many things. She was done with the pack. She wouldn't carry that guilt for what they'd brought upon themselves. She wouldn't let Edward carry that burden either, she deserved more blame then he did none of this was his fault.

"Carlisle and Esme will be leaving tomorrow. I've decided to send him away. He can't accept my leadership over our family and he's causing us more harm now. He's taking the break down between the pack and our family badly. Worse than even you have taken all of the news" Edward explained, he didn't want to have to send them away but there was nothing he could do. Carlisle would not bend. Edward could respect that in many degrees the man wanted to preserve all life. Edward just couldn't sit idly by any longer and allow his pacifist father to challenge his plans, not when they could cost them all so much.

"Will they be okay?" Bella didn't like the idea of splitting up the family especially taking Carlisle and Esme away from the family for so long she'd always viewed them as the glue that held them together.

"They'll be safe away from here. Esme isn't taking to training well. Carlisle while well versed in fighting refuses to take a life. While I understand his anger at my methods they wouldn't have been needed had he simply stuck to Jasper's plan" Edward said and Bella knew that he was all but admitting to torturing one of the newborns. She felt nothing though. Strangely knowing that Edward had gone to those lengths to gain information didn't disturb her nearly as much as she'd thought it would. It was like the night of him finding her cornered by those men before she'd ever known what he was. She knew now had he unleashed his vampire or monster on those men and ended them for the thoughts that had angered him so greatly she'd have never changed her view of him. Unconditional love, the special supernatural love between two mates even though she was human felt it completely.

"I don't know how I can ever forgive him for the things he said to you" Edward said angrily turning his eyes away from Bella as she threaded her fingers with his own kissing the underside of his jaw.

"We have forever to mend those bridges Edward" Bella said softly knowing how much his relationship with Carlisle meant to him, knew that while he was angry now. Even felt betrayed by what Carlisle had said to her, Bella knew that eventually Edward would need Carlisle in his life.

They had been each other's constant for so long. They had been together even before they had found each other's mates. Edward smiled down at Bella and while it didn't completely reach his eyes she knew that at least for now they were okay, nothing Carlisle had said had affected them. They knew that soon they would have to leave this battle scene that they'd turned into a type of sanctuary for the both of them. Edward would need to address Carlisle and the things he'd said to Bella, he also knew that Bella would need to return home. Her parents while aware would now learn to find that he'd asked her and Bella had said yes, engaged and finally opening themselves in all their shared natures. Edward would begin to plan with his family the end of the violence, once he ended those threats he silently swore to give Isabella a century of joy and happiness away from conflict and violence.

He'd make up for this violent beginning of their forever.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N Hey everyone, sorry that this is coming late well I guess late for me. I know I usually get a chapter to you guys on Monday but work is kicking my ass right now. I've been majorly busy in the last week and haven't had nearly the amount of time I wanted to get some writing done. It's however part of life and this is more for fun, but I have managed to set aside some time this morning before my shift to edit this chapter and get it to you finally. Never have I been happier that I wrote a lot of the story in advance then I am right now, had I not already had chapters written up it may have taken me much longer. Which I really didn't want to do to you guys because I understand how it can be when waiting for that next update. So I hope you all didn't feel that I abandoned you not posting yesterday but it's here now so I feel I've done pretty well on trying to get back onto my schedule. Though I do need to tell you this is likely the only chapter for this week, I'll do my best but I can't make any promises to get another chapter before next week. Though I'm sure you guys all know I'll try my best.**

 **I would like to give a quick shout out to _Camilla10_ who recommended Red Dawn over at A Different Forest (What the fic campfire) While I wasn't aware of the website I'm very grateful Camilla. So thank you very much for posting on the site and letting more readers know about my story and I hope that the writing doesn't let down your stamp of approval. As always guys thanks for still sticking with me and I'll leave you all to the next chapter...**

 **Enjoy :)**

 **RED DAWN**

 **SUMMARY:** Edward had always warned Bella that the pack were dangerous. Hostile, volatile and aggressive in nature. She ignored him, testing even Edward's own vampire instinct by staying friends with his enemy, Jacob. One event will change them all, Bella never truly understood the supernatural world. Didn't understand the aggression that lay dormant even in her controlled mate until it was too late. Warning: Violence and Character death.

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the Characters.**

* * *

 **Chapter Sixteen**

Edward finally carried Bella back to his home only a short time after their talk, he knew that Renee had wanted to spend some more time with Bella and he'd certainly not wanted to remain out in the forest as the cooling temperature. He'd made the choice to simply go to Bella's home instead of entering into the main part of the house, he was still very angry with what Carlisle had done. Or at least tired of defending his own actions, and wasn't prepared for that conversation. Bella had seemed to be growing tired which had only cemented his belief that it was time to call an end to the day. While she seemed all but fine physically, other then needing to heal he still didn't want to push her body too far. Though he knew that her exhaustion may have come from the emotional side of what had been surrounding them, Edward too recognised that even he felt a strange edge of fatigue mentally from what had happened.

It was an extremely peculiar part of being a vampire, with never ending physical energy, he could go without pause and yet mentally all of them needed time to somewhat relax away from more active things. It had been what often he'd used the music in his life to aid him in, as others had things that helped them decompress from the stresses of a never ending life where there was no escape. He truly envied Bella in that sense that she could close her eyes and dream, escape the world around them.

"Renee wants to be able to spend some time alone with you" Edward said as he pulled his Volvo into the driveway behind Charlie's police cruiser his thumb brushing over the back of Bella's knuckles smiling.

"I don't know how to tell her. I'm... I guess a little nervous how she'll react" Bella said even though she was smiling as she glanced down at her ring on her finger Edward watching her face. He leaned across pecking the side of her cheek softly smiling into her skin.

"I asked for her and Charlie's blessing" Edward told her hoping to relieve some of her fear of telling them that she was engaged, he understood that Bella was nervous about both of their reactions. Bella wasn't sure how they would have reacted to Edward asking but she knew that it must have gone well for him to bring it up, while she knew he'd have likely asked even had they said an outright no.

"Charlie didn't pull a gun?" Bella said in a light hearted attempt at humour and yet wishing she somehow had been a fly on the wall during the conversation. She knew Edward would have been the perfectly polite gentleman and made an eloquent argument against anything her parents may have disagreed with.

"I think you'll find yourself pleasantly surprised with how well Charlie took it actually" Edward said with a knowing smile as Bella turned her face to look at him smiling back at his handsome face.

"I guess I better head in. I'm sure Renee is waiting close by impatiently" Bella said she knew that Edward would leave for a little but she wasn't all that willing to let him go just yet. She reached forward with her free hand fisting the front of his shirt and tugging him towards her over the console of the car and pressing her lips to his own confidently. Taking control in a way that Edward would have never allowed in the past for fear of him losing control at not being the one to initiate the kiss.

"I'll be back with you soon enough" Edward whispered against Bella's lips and then kissing her lips once more, he understood her desire to not part ways.

His family were still waiting on him and he'd not returned now for some time in favour of relishing in being with Bella, while Bella was accepting of what was coming he didn't wish to force her to endure hearing the plans his family would put together to kill people she had been close with. There was also the very likely possibility that once Edward returned home without Bella there to calm him he'd fly off the handle in the way Carlisle had dealt with what had happened. He'd done well to let Bella distract him from his anger, it was there though slowly grinding at the back of his mind at the audacity that Carlisle had dared to place ill thought of him in Bella's mind. It was cruel and far beyond the line of what was acceptable, he wouldn't sit back and let the attempt at manipulation simply go.

Edward walked Bella to her front door even at her protests of not needing him too. Renee had already opened the door before they'd taken the step up to the door. She'd zoned in on the ring on Bella's finger all but straight away and Edward would have found it impressive was he not aware of how Renee had been thinking about it all day. Renee of course moved quickly placing herself between Bella and Edward as she pulled Bella into a tight hug that had made Edward want to remind Renee that Bella still had stitches that couldn't be jostled too much. Renee awed and smiled brightly at Bella even getting a little teary as Bella found herself returning to Edward's side once Renee let go. Renee couldn't seem to pull her gaze away from her daughter and the man that she was going to marry, she really was happy even if she'd been a little concerned about it earlier in the morning. With more time to mull it over she'd realized that for all her arguments about age that Bella wasn't her and that Edward certainly wasn't like any young man she'd ever known. They belonged together. Renee believed it would all work out.

"I don't care Sue. I've been like family to him. He's completely cutting me off. Won't even let Bella or me go to the funeral. I understand grieving but Jake was like a son to me" Charlie said loudly from inside the house as Bella looked to Renee who had visibly looked more uncomfortable as they'd all heard Charlie raise his voice to Sue. Bella felt Edward squeeze her hand gently trying to reassure her as he took in the information from what Charlie and Sue were talking about over the phone.

"What's going on mom?" Bella asked Renee standing a little awkwardly in the doorway as she looked over her shoulder in the direction of the kitchen where Charlie had been on the phone pretty much since he'd returned from the station.

"Charlie finally got hold of Billy. Billy was pretty upset. Lashed out at your dad and told him he wasn't welcome on their land and that he wasn't welcome to the funeral. Neither of you" Renee said and Bella swallowed a little roughly knowing how much that would upset her father, she'd expected that she'd not be welcome. Had assumed even if she had that Edward would have never agreed to her going to pay her respects, she wasn't sure she wanted to pay any respects. She'd chosen her side in this now.

"Charlie and Billy have been friends all their lives" Bella said but knew it was a weak argument.

She had all the information for why Billy would cut off her father. It was because of her that her father was being pushed out by those he'd viewed as family his whole life. Because of her choices and the choices of the man beside her. She felt guilty that her father would have to carry the punishment for things he'd had no control over, removing him from their group she couldn't help but feel relieved too though. How many times had Charlie been in a similar kind of danger as she and had no idea, with some of the adult males now shifting too she didn't want Charlie getting hurt simply because they hated her and Edward.

"Billy was always an ass" Renee said off handily then blushed slightly as she looked to Bella and Edward a little embarrassed that it had slipped out.

"I'm sorry. I know he's going through something awful. I just never got along with the man. I always told Charlie when we were together that eventually he'd turn on him. I'm just sorry Charlie is being treated poorly. Not just by Billy but all of his friends. Like Charlie is at fault somehow" Renee said raising her hand and spinning it around to show she thought Billy and those of La Push were insane while rolling her eyes, Edward was more than open to his own amusement as he chuckled at what Renee said Bella nudging his side slightly to stop him.

"He's talking to Sue?" Bella said hoping her nosy mother had listened in, she knew she couldn't ask Edward what he was hearing without making it known to Renee too. She knew she should have felt guilty trying to get private information that was her father's but with his closeness to those within the tribe she suddenly realised that she truly didn't trust them anymore. She wasn't sure if that had come from Edward and all he'd told her or by what had happened to her, she'd never believed she'd be hurt by them but she had. So had many others.

"Yes. She's been giving him the cold shoulder. Seems she's had issues of her own, her daughter Leah apparently left with an older man from the tribe. Eloped" Renee said shaking her head then nodding her head towards Bella and Edward seriously this time.

"You two better not get any ideas. I expect to see my daughter walk down the aisle to her handsome husband" Renee reached out and moved to squeeze Edward's cheek but hesitated when she found his cheek wasn't at all pliable but almost concrete to her touch.

"That's some bone structure you've got there Edward" Renee said as Bella laughed awkwardly, not many people touched Edward to notice the hardness of his skin even fewer people tried to pinch his cheeks Bella doubted he'd experienced such a thing in most of his life. Especially since becoming a vampire. Edward however was too intrigued that the pack had chosen to hide and cover the deaths of Leah and one of the adult males that had died in the confrontation days ago by placing a story of a secret taboo relationship. He hoped they had lots of stories in place. He was going to be taking more soon.

"So are you staying a little longer Edward?" Renee asked curiously, she did hope that she would get Bella alone for a little this evening though she'd made plans to leave tomorrow afternoon.

"No I'm afraid. I'm expected back home. I stole Bella for a little longer than planned so I won't be able to stay" Edward smiled at Renee charmingly disarming her as Bella watched him work that strange dazzling power on her mother.

"Well that's fine. I'm not sure I'll see you again for some time now Edward so I just wanted to thank you for caring about our Bella so much. It's wonderful to have you as part of the family" Renee extended her arms out to Edward as he'd moved in to hug her back still keeping his one hand free to keep holding Bella's hand.

"It's always a pleasure Renee. I'm sure we'll see you again soon" Edward said gently and then turned to Bella and leaned down pecking her lips softly her fingers playing with his own as he looked deeply into her concerned eyes. His beautiful mate was easy to read then, concerned and upset for the pain her father would have to endure because of what they had done. Charlie was an innocent in this that truly didn't deserve any wrong treating from either side. It seemed the pack simply wouldn't tolerate him as long as Bella remained at the Cullen family's side. He was guilty by extension.

"I love you" Edward said kissing her lips softly all while Renee stood leaning against the doorway sighing softly as she watched the romantic and tenderness shared between the two teens.

"I love you too" Bella said her fingers playing with the buttons of Edward's shirt, he pulled her in closer then nuzzling his face into the side of her hair smiling.

"I'll be with you soon. Keep our bed warm" Edward pulled away soon enough to see her heated cheeks and his crooked smile only grew as she nodded at him and reluctantly the two released each other's hands. Bella moving to Renee's side as the two watched Edward at a human pace move to his car, he hated leaving her but for now while Bella still was part of the human world in most cases would need to play the part. As Edward turned the key to his ignition however he heard one comment from Renee that had left him chuckling as he drove away.

" _Bella, why are you wearing one of Edward's shirts?"_

When Edward finally returned home it was clear that Carlisle wasn't there, his thoughts were absent as well as his scent but Edward found Esme waiting for him. She'd been waiting for Edward's return since he'd left with Bella, confident in the belief that he'd not be able to brush aside his need to confront Carlisle and so Esme had done what she felt best for not only Carlisle but Edward too. She knew her husband, had spoken to him during the afternoon in the confinement of their bedroom and tried to reach out to him, make him see sense and while she could see he truly felt shame over the way he'd handled himself. Esme was able to see that Carlisle's belief had not changed at all, she had always loved Carlisle's deep love for all life and compassionate nature but even she struggled against meeting the expectations of her husband. She had also wondered how Carlisle would have reacted had she been as capable of showing signs of aggression and violence. Just because she found herself unable to strike out didn't mean it was not inside of her, she didn't want to fight didn't believe she was capable enough. She'd always hesitate, training with Jasper had shown that, she and Carmen had been working so hard and where Carmen continued to improve her own training had become stagnant.

Esme was not a killer.

She was truly Carlisle's other half in that respect the only difference was she didn't want or wish to prevent her family from doing so if it meant protecting them. Esme was still rocked by the way in which she'd slapped Carlisle, still shocked that he'd enraged her enough to draw that from her. Her greatest strength had always been her ability to love, Edward had always made note of her motherly nature and the influence of ease she casted around those near her. Esme had always wanted to be a mother, as a human she'd cruelly lost that chance and then taken her life to be saved by the man who had haunted her since her childhood. She had awoken to this life still in mourning to find a beautiful man with a good soul who cared for her and then she'd found through Carlisle the son she'd believed she'd lost. There wasn't a person on the planet alive or dead who could tell her that Edward wasn't her son.

She'd protect him even if it meant from his own father. She loved Carlisle but she wouldn't let him risk their son's happiness because of his need to save all lives. Even the lives of people who didn't deserve it, she agreed with what Edward had requested it was time for her to take her conflicted husband away and help him find himself once again. It was time to let their son take lead of the family and accept that they no longer had what it took to protect the family. She was proud of the man that Edward was becoming. Even if he made choices she herself didn't wish he had she knew that he did it from a place of love. As Carlisle did his own choice making and mistakes from his love for them all Edward too would do what he believed right because he loved his family. Even if it broke her heart to be parted from her family she knew her place was at Carlisle's side and she needed to support him now. She needed to help him see that this was not his failing, that it wasn't anyone's fault she knew he blamed himself and blamed Edward for this. She needed to make him see that the changes in Edward weren't to be feared but helped and guided so he wouldn't lose his way. They needed to nurture the man that he was becoming not hindering the changes that were becoming all too clear to everyone in the family.

Edward climbed out from his car seeing Esme standing there in both parts accepting and in defeat of what had come, for all the times she'd tried to keep the family together it seemed a split was inevitable. Edward knew she wouldn't plead Carlisle's case that she wouldn't beg for him to change his choice and keep them close, Esme was smart enough to know that Carlisle had only further crossed a line by what he'd done in front of Bella. Edward moved to stand beside Esme as they both looked into the surrounding forest, the tree line still wide awake even in the night the life that only they could hear and see still coming alive in the hours of darkness. The moon casted a strange light over them all, the enhanced vision making it no darker then the day light hours, the unusual spectrum of colours that humans could not see in these hours. The illumination while beautiful had always been a harder time for Edward in the past, the evening hours were when he was usually most alone when his family would in the past retire to spend time with their other half's.

Esme turned to look at Edward, taking in the side of his profile he'd always been so impossibly handsome, she was happy that he was finally unburdened by the loneliness he'd had to endure for his existence within the family.

"You know I'll have to speak to him before you both leave" Edward said softly into the silent evening night as Esme sighed and nodded her head turning to face Edward completely.

"I know Edward. I just hoped with enough time you'd both be able to calm down before that conversation would take place. I know he was wrong. I know that what he did was a betrayal on so many levels to you Edward but he didn't mean to harm you" Esme said trying to make Edward see that the man he'd always held highest above all else was just as much capable of failures and mistakes as the rest of them.

"I know. I know he only wants to protect the family. I know he's doing this for me. Carlisle was always a better man than me. I always hoped if I tried hard enough I'd be able to make him proud of me. I hate disappointing him, I can't change my course of action though now" Edward said looking down at the wooden rail as he leant forward over the porch Esme moving closer to rest her hand on his back.

"He's still proud of you Edward. All you've done. You'll always be his son" Esme tried to comfort him, had she not been in this same position only hours earlier trying to sooth her husband as he believed he'd ruined any chance of fixing what seemed to becoming an even wider distance between himself and Edward.

"He's scared of me. Was always scared of me. I never knew, how did I not know the man who I've spent so much time with feared me" Edward said through a whisper, it was something that had played on his mind. For all the decades of Edward claiming the monster inside of him tainting anything he cared for had Carlisle known it to be there too, had he simply lied and tried to give him false hope that he wasn't this beast.

"I know this must be hard to hear Edward but you have to know. You have to see just how much you could become. For years your isolation and torment has been like a prison. It's held you and what you could become trapped inside yourself. Suddenly you're becoming more. When you first left we never thought you'd return we'd believed you'd made your choice that the change had come when we'd not seen it. We knew it would come one day, then you retuned even more tormented and colder. Your time out in the world as a nomad had hardened you, made you even more capable you'd seen the darkness in the world and you'd resented it but you'd felt enough guilt to want to change. You'd been enough of your father's son to see killing even the criminals wasn't going to change the world no matter how much you wished it would. Then you fell in love with a human whose blood sang to you. It seemed so cruel that once again you'd been tested tormented by what you were, you over came that though Edward. For all your mistakes you've always come back to what matters, that's why I have no doubt even if this is the wrong choice you'll make this right." Esme said firmly to Edward taking his arms and moving him slightly to make him face her, she wanted Edward to see that she believed in him.

That where Carlisle feared all that Edward may or may not do, she believed he'd always come to the right choice in the end. He was a good man, maybe he'd never be the man that Carlisle was but that wasn't fair to expect Edward to measure to that of Carlisle's own beliefs. All failed to measure up to what Carlisle was, they had all taken human lives be it by choice or mistakes. Carlisle was the only one to have resisted completely, even Rose who hadn't tasted human blood had taken lives.

"I'm sorry I'm hurting you" Edward said softly knowing how much it had hurt Esme when Carlisle had told her that Edward had decided to send them both away. Esme reached up cupping his cheek softly forcing a smile, she was ready to follow Edward. Knew that what was best for the family was for her and Carlisle to leave.

"You're protecting me. You know I'm not going to be able to fight. I'm not like Alice, Rose or even Tanya and Kate. I was never a fighter. My place is with Carlisle, who you are also protecting. I've been scared since this all began that he'd do something that would place us in danger. His desire to protect the pack is birthed from his time with Ephraim. Carlisle truly loved that man as an almost brother" Esme shook her head as Edward closed his eyes gritted his teeth.

"Yet Ephraim never saw him as anything other than a monster" Edward said a little harshly.

"You are the man you are and he is the man he is Edward. Carlisle will always wish to believe the best in people. He still believes the Volturi are at their nature doing the right thing. Even though I know Alice believes they pose a threat. Aro too is someone your father respects and loves. I believe Aro too in his own way loves your father at least respects him." Esme explained and Edward could understand that, if he didn't want Carlisle to judge him for the type of man he was he couldn't be too harsh on the man that Carlisle was. Ephraim had been an honourable man that Carlisle had believed truly a great man, had his anger and displeasure come from that care Carlisle had for the once leader of the pack. Edward had killed Ephraim's heir.

"Don't let your father's struggle become your own Edward. I believe in you, your brothers and sisters believe in you. I know Bella does also. The Denali are ready to fight by your side and I'm sure those Jasper plans to call to aid you will see you as the leader we all are seeing. Do what you must and then we'll unite as a family again. We have a wedding and transformation to plan after all" Esme ended on a lighter note seeing that crooked smile of Edward's at the mention of wedding arrangements, she released his cheek from her touch as he nodded.

"She'll need you. I know she has Renee but she'll need you too. Just like I did." Edward said letting Esme know that she would be needed, while he was sending her away and she felt very much useless to her family he did believe that she would be important in the times of the wedding and Bella's change. Edward knew that Bella already viewed Esme as a second mother. It was easy to feel that way Edward knew that from personal experience.

"Let's join the rest of them" Edward offered his hand to Esme as she took it without hesitation, moving into the house to join the rest of the family.

Edward could see from a hint of Jasper and Eleazer's mind that they seemed to have something they wanted to discuss with him privately. Edward gave Jasper a look as he entered into the living room with Esme that told him simply, not yet. He knew that whatever the two of them wanted to discuss with him would need to be talked about but for now he simply wanted to give Esme time with her family before she and Carlisle left tomorrow. He took no pleasure in sending them both away. He truly did believe that he was protecting them all by separating them though. He also hoped by removing Carlisle from seeing the things that he'd do that somehow Carlisle would be able to avoid his growing fear of Edward and find some way of fixing the tattered parts of their relationship.

Carlisle had gone to the hospital at Esme's request, though he'd protested it had been a weak attempt to stay. He'd shamefully not wanted to face Edward after the way he'd acted, the anger in Edward's eyes and voice as he'd challenged him. He'd called him a coward and Carlisle wondered if that was truly what he'd become, was he the coward now. It had only further conflicted him that he'd seen some logic behind Edward's argument. Rose, Alice and Edward had all come to serious harm because of his choices this day. He'd even tackled his own son, he'd never physically attacked Edward by any means in the entire time they had been together.

He had not acted out angrily towards Edward even when they'd been reunited after Edward's choice to go to Volterra to have himself destroyed. Even though he'd wanted too. He'd been so emotionally angered when he'd believed Edward had gotten himself destroyed but instead of holding onto that anger he'd faltered at just seeing his son alive and well. Carlisle knew that his son had his reasons for the things he did but with each passing day he found himself struggling more to push aside his contempt for it.

The sight of a scared man being held in place as Edward had taunted him would forever be frozen in his mind now, the sight of him red eyed and standing over his victim. Carlisle had always wished to believe Edward too gentle, he'd seen that from him even as a human, Carlisle had known of Edward long before his illness had struck. Carlisle could still remember seeing the young man for the first time when he'd attended a neighbourhood gathering held by Edward's mother Elizabeth. Even then barely seventeen in age Carlisle had seen something truly special in the boy, he'd been frozen in the doorway as Edward played the grand piano in the Masen home. Carlisle had been alone for so long and for the first time as he'd watched Edward's human fingers dance along the keys of the piano he'd felt the pang of never having a son. He'd never before ever considered that lose not until he'd been faced with this young talented full of potential young man. Carlisle could still remember seeing the proud smile on Elizabeth's striking face as she'd moved beside him seeing Carlisle staring at Edward.

" _He's incredible isn't he" Elizabeth had beamed proudly but there had been a strange look in her eyes as she'd addressed Carlisle that he'd never understood._

" _I've made my desire for him to continue in his teaching clear but he seems rather set in his dreams of becoming a solider" Elizabeth had said with clear distaste._

" _He wishes to join the war" Carlisle had said and he'd not even had it within himself to mask the fear that had crawled up his spine at the thought of this young man. Surrounded in blood and death, with the sound of gun fire and bombs dropping as he fought in a war no one his age should have to face._

" _Edward even as a small boy wanted to protect people. Edward has always wanted to be a soldier. I fear only the involvement of divine intervention will save my son from the horrors of war. I pray every night for its end."_

It would only be a few short months later that Carlisle would be faced with Edward again and Elizabeth, it had seemed almost tragic in its fate. That her desire to keep Edward from war would come at the price of the entire family dying to an illness no one could seem to stop. Carlisle had watched over them all, both Edward's parents and he, Edward's father would pass quickly Edward by then was far too sick to even notice. Elizabeth had been fine at first with no signs of the illness but as she cared for her son she too fell ill. Her need to constantly care for Edward even when it meant neglecting her own care would eventually place her in worse health then her son. She'd been ready to accept that though. Then the fatal evening when Edward's fever had spiked, Carlisle had known as he'd listened to the sound of fluid building in his lungs that he may not survive the night. That this exceptionally talented young man who wanted to save lives would be lost to the world before he'd ever had chance to bloom in this world.

He'd cried for a good hour tearlessly realising how deeply he cared for Edward Masen, that while he cried for this young human boy he too cried for the reality that he would never have a son to call his own. Then Elizabeth had said those fateful words on her death bed.

" _You must do everything in your power. What others cannot do, that is what you must do for my Edward"_

Still to this day those words have haunted him, they have held so much secret within them. Had she somehow known what he was or had she simply asked him to help her son as any doctor would. He'd decided that somehow Elizabeth had known he was a vampire and had rather Edward that then dead. He'd taken it as permission and swore to Elizabeth as she lay dying he would protect Edward, that he'd love him as his very own son. Carlisle would then for the first time in his entire existence taste blood as he changed Edward Masen into a vampire both saving his life and condemning it too.

Now as Carlisle sat in his office hiding almost from his family for the way in which he'd acted he wondered if Edward's mother had wanted this life for Edward. Had Carlisle failed her and Edward completely, she'd never wanted him to become a soldier and he'd tried so very hard to control that inner rage that Edward held. That power that seemed to grow when he was tested, before he'd never had the will to care now he cared and it fuelled his need to protect. Carlisle couldn't argue his right to protect his loved ones. He too only desired to protect. He wanted to protect Edward from war. Wanted to protect Edward like Elizabeth had, praying wasn't working and Carlisle felt the last of his faith in god all but failing him. He'd resisted his very nature and taught other's to go against the very dark natures held within them, he felt he deserved the assistance of a god he'd always believed in. Felt Edward deserved god to act now to help guide them so that they did not fall completely from redemption. He couldn't let Edward lose himself in killing, the image he'd had that first day of Edward in the trenches in uniform, blood coating his skin as the whistle and explosions of bombs and shots going off. Carlisle found the words of Elizabeth Masen repeating in his mind as he reached blindly towards the phone on his office desk.

" _...What others cannot do, that is what you must do for my Edward"_

Carlisle would do what others could not. It was the only option now, his family would not do this, and they would not look for a solution to this that would save them all. Carlisle wasn't just trying to save lives he was trying to save their very souls from the evil they would have to commit to save their lives.

"Carlisle?" the voice asked huskily over the phone.

"I request a meeting. The treaty line" Carlisle said evenly.

"You come alone. No other's as we agreed. We'll talk of our truce. Your family are ready to make peace before we all die?"

"Yes. We're ready for peace" Carlisle said while knowing his family wanted no such thing.

His family didn't want peace.

He knew that Edward did not want peace.

While the pack held their grudges they too knew that war was not something they would survive, he hated going against Edward and his family. They had left him no choice, they were sending him away and prepared to kill an entire pack of shifters all but causing the extinction of a rare supernatural creature. Carlisle couldn't allow it. He only hoped that once peace was made between them that he'd be able to earn Edward's forgiveness for once again going against him. He loved his son. He wasn't about to fail Elizabeth, he'd promised her and she'd never wanted her son involved in a war. He'd do what other couldn't, for their Edward. He would stop the deaths, he would ensure that Edward took no further lives so when he finally came back to himself he would not be too deeply burdened by his actions that it ruined him. Carlisle had hoped to use Bella to control Edward, he'd gone about it wrong and only placed more conflict between himself and his son.

He'd angered his own mate enough that she'd felt the need to act out against him and while he knew she was stopping him from making more mistakes he'd felt she didn't completely understand. That she too wanted the blood that their children desired. He knew his wife gentle and tender in nature was never going to be capable of doing such a thing though. If he could just find a solution then no one would be at risk, not his wife, his children or his friends.

Carlisle left the hospital after he'd given word to his colleagues that he and his wife would be leaving for some time, he didn't like leaving on such short notice but he knew. After tonight even if this meeting was to go well that he'd need to leave, he'd have tested Edward's anger once too many times and he didn't want to have to physically come to blows with his son. He'd been the first of them to lay his hands upon Edward but he doubted Edward would take his complete disregard for the orders he'd given again. Especially with how Carlisle had upset Bella. He knew his son's anger was of a dark volatile nature now, his rage was something that Carlisle feared. His power was something that scared him too, the fact Eleazer still believed it to be developing only made Carlisle more worried not only of Edward but for him.

He knew that Aro desired him, knew that only the friendship he and Aro shared was all that held Aro and his guard back from trying to lure his family to join him. Edward could not be allowed to fall into Aro's guidance, if Carlisle longed to shield Edward and protect him from his nature Aro would feed it. He would twist it and make it something darker than it should be, even from the brief conversations he and Edward had shared about Aro and his thoughts in Volterra it had been very clear Aro's intent. Edward would be his one day, Edward would become one of his guards and hopefully he'd lead the rest to follow. It was why Carlisle was not thrilled at the idea of Edward becoming the leader of their family, should Aro offer Edward the assistance in his hunger for revenge. For his own lust for death would he betray all that they believed in he hoped Edward wouldn't.

Carlisle had sprinted to the agreed location, he'd been secretly sending messages between the council members, and only his distance from Edward and his family had allowed him to go undetected. Though Carlisle had seen that Jasper was beginning to sense something was not all well. After today he no longer had time to play it safe, it had been the same argument as it had always been when he'd been contacting the pack. Carlisle's own guilt that he feared he might have been the reason behind the Denali being attacked the day they'd arrived, the shame that he knew he might have been the one who had given Sam all he'd needed to attack and then destroy Irina. Carlisle knew he was playing a dangerous game and yet he'd played it, to save his family from their natures he was risking everything. He had once long ago sworn to Ephraim Black that he would never go back on their treaty, he'd promised the wise chief that he'd do all he could to preserve their legend alongside that of the Cullen family. Carlisle had believed the legend had stayed but the ability lost, then Sam had shifted and Carlisle had been so deeply pleased that the magic lived on.

Something not explainable to science or anything he could grasp. The ability the tribe had to shift into a wolf so large in size and the abilities that came with it was magnificent, it truly was magic. It was pure, it was not of the darker creation of his own kind, the almost disease like spreading of a bite from one carrier to the next. Shifters were created to protect, vampires were created to feed. So here he stood now in the dark forest clearing where his land met that of the La Push tribe and he remembered standing here alone with Ephraim before the Cullen's had needed to leave. His promise to never harm Ephraim's people still clear in his mind. He didn't want to betray a man he respected and he couldn't let Edward and his family fail in rejecting the darkness held within them.

"Carlisle you have come alone" Sam said roughly as he walked through the tree line, he had not come alone however. Sam had brought his pack, only he and Joshua Uley remained in human form but the rest were in wolf form.

"It was what we agreed upon. I wanted to make movements to build peace between our people again. I want for us to mend the fractures in our broken ties" Carlisle said confident even then that he'd somehow convince these men to reaffirm the treaty once held. In spite of everything that had happened between them, even though now he stood before a hostile pack seeking vengeance for their loss he still believed them to be what Ephraim and his men had been. Noble and honourable. Men who kept their word because it had meaning.

"These are not simply broken ties Carlisle. Your coven has killed our people. Has directly targeted us and has even crossed into our lands to do so" Sam said his eyes dark the grief still very clear in his darkened and tired eyes, Carlisle could see that Edward had been correct in his attack upon Sam Uley's heart. The death of Leah was clear all over the man's face and Carlisle could only further feel shame that his family had done that.

"You know the circumstances that brought about Edward's crossing the treaty line. His mate was injured by Jacob's hand. Edward protected himself and Bella from those who wanted to destroy him" Carlisle said defending Edward's actions, while he'd hated that death had come from them he knew that Edward had no choice, Bella had been dying and he was attacked he'd had to defend himself to save them both.

"They had every right to protect our land" Sam said through gritted teeth and Carlisle listened to the high pitched yelps of wolves that only sounded like agreement. Carlisle could see them hidden some amongst the tree line probably ensuring he'd not brought any of his family, the entirety of the pack was here now. He could hear the sounds of them, they didn't appear to have grown larger then what Eleazer had described as their numbers. It seemed those that would shift had done so. This was by far the largest the pack had ever been.

"Edward had every right to protect the woman he loves. I can't give you back the lives taken Sam. I can only hope to prevent more lives being lost" Carlisle said taking a step forward only to hear the growling around him giving him pause as not to agitate them further.

"More lives of your own family. My pack is larger. I have men instead of boys to lead into war, we are not the weak submissive pack that Ephraim led. A fight will take just as many of you as it will us. I'm willing to take those chances" Sam said and Carlisle could feel that he'd somehow misjudged this, where Sam had been more willing to talk of fixing things now he seemed only here to antagonise and make his place clear. Carlisle was beginning to see that Sam too only wanted death, just as his family wanted of the pack.

"Think, Sam" Joshua Uley spat to his son angrily his hand reaching out and gripping at Sam's bulging bicep, Sam forcefully shaking his grip away.

"There are some things that cannot be undone Sam. Things that will never be undone once you make the choice. You still have time to make another choice, for the good of the people" Joshua urged and Carlisle found himself looking to Sam's father was this not the same image now, an image of Carlisle and Edward played back to him from his supposed enemies side. A father trying to make a son understand the choices that made could not be changed once taken.

"What have my people ever done for me but cause me pain. I lead our people now, either take my side or join him" Sam growled at his father shoving him back and for a second it looked as if Joshua was about to challenge Sam. His eyes hardening before he shook his head turning away from meeting his son's gaze knowing there was nothing he could do now.

"Now" Sam called out loudly as his body exploded forward.

His body leapt up twisting and expanding as his skin seemed to appear to tear from his body in the vicious shift of his human body into his wolf one. Then standing before Carlisle instead of the man Sam Uley was the large black wolf, the alpha of his pack and Carlisle could only turn to see the closing in numbers of wolves that bled out from between the trees, closing in around him. Carlisle knew then, as Sam had shifted and the pack moved under Sam's orders, Carlisle knew as he fixed his eyes onto Joshua Uley that this had not been a meeting to speak of peace between them.

This was to be his execution.

"Think about what you are doing?" Carlisle yelled out then his hand extended to make Sam see sense, this act of aggression against him would do nothing more than only fuel the fire of what was coming.

"You may kill me but you are not nearly as prepared for what will come for you if you do. You will awaken something that you don't understand, that will bring about everyone's destruction not only my families but all of yours" Carlisle said urgently knowing, knowing what would happen if the pack was allowed to destroy him.

Carlisle looked around him then looking for an exit, an escape from this situation, suddenly realising the grave danger he had placed himself in. There was no escape, he'd allowed himself to be drawn out here completely alone and found himself completely surrounded by the numbers of wolves. Even then knowing what was coming for him he knew he couldn't kill to find his way out of there, knew that he'd failed his family again. That he'd failed Esme. The woman he loved more than anything, all he had to do was listen to her and leave.

He'd been a fool.

"Tell her I love her Edward. Tell her every day was beautiful because of her. I'm so sorry son" Carlisle said directly looking at Sam knowing that eventually his son would see this, that Edward would have to endure that pain alone as he watched him destroyed at the hands of men Carlisle had defended. He'd betrayed his own son to save these people who would now take everything from him.

Joshua Uley the only member of the pack, second in command to not make the shift. He stood silent as he watched with dark sombre eyes seeing what his son would bring upon his people. Bring upon them all. A time for peace was gone now. The only hope of saving lives and his son would take that away from them all in his own need for revenge. These were not the spirit warrior that Joshua had known from the tales of his people. Joshua had seen the look in that man's eyes. Seen the look in Edward's eyes as he'd daringly taunted the entire pack holding Leah's dead body his teeth at her neck. He'd known then what that monster would be, knew that the cold one would be the one who killed his son. Joshua had done all he could to contain Sam from seeking revenge, justice for Leah's death. This would not give him justice but it would give him what he most desired, a way to harm Edward. A way to draw out that beast that lay across the border line, Joshua Uley didn't believe his son capable of destroying this cold one. So he stood watching with silent breath, knowing now what came could be the end for them all.

Carlisle moved then, fast, agile and precise.

The pack lunged, faster, more agile and lethal.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N Hey everyone, once again sorry that this came perhaps a little later then what many of you would have wished but unfortunately with work and real life. I end up with not nearly as much time to write and edit as I would like, believe me if I could I'd spend all of my days writing so you guys don't need to wait. I'm not that lucky however though I'm going to keep doing my best, this chapter is still without a Beta though I do have to have gained some interest. Now I'm going to just have to see how scheduling with those who offered will work, I'm completely set in always updating at least once a week. I understand however some Beta's prefer to have more time with the work, that they are given or simply don't have that kind of time to spare completely. I've still been slowly making some progress with the writing of this story and I hope to keep well ahead with chapters written to those posted so I never fail to have something already written for you. I've got the next couple of months worth of chapters though so that's all good but you all know with time I'll get you more than one chapter. Anyway I don't want to bore you with all the talk about how I'm going to set my posting I'm sure you've all waited long enough for this chapter. So I'll let you all go, let me know what you think it's been very enjoyable seeing the reactions from the last chapter I've very much enjoyed that.**

 **Enjoy :)**

 **RED DAWN**

 **SUMMARY:** Edward had always warned Bella that the pack were dangerous. Hostile, volatile and aggressive in nature. She ignored him, testing even Edward's own vampire instinct by staying friends with his enemy, Jacob. One event will change them all, Bella never truly understood the supernatural world. Didn't understand the aggression that lay dormant even in her controlled mate until it was too late. Warning: Violence and Character death.

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the Characters.**

* * *

 **Chapter Seventeen**

Bella had spent the evening talking to Renee and trying her best to avoid the sounds of Charlie's yelling over the phone, Charlie hadn't taken the way Billy and Sue were treating him well at all. In the end Renee had suggested that the both of them go to Bella's room to watch a movie together, neither woman used to the angered tone of Charlie. He'd always been a very laid back, easy going type of guy. Some of the curse words that had been said they'd not been aware Charlie even knew. It was clear though even though Charlie was sympathetic of Billy grieving something had been said that had brought Bella into it. Then the Cullen's and Charlie had come to the defence of his daughter and the family that had stood by his daughter and him while she'd been in hospital. Charlie had always been very much against the way the people of La Push talked about the Cullen family but when they'd had such a hand in caring for Bella he wasn't going to remain silently in disagreement.

It hadn't been ten minutes into the movie when Renee and Bella had heard the sound of the door slamming behind Charlie, Bella all while feeling her heart in her throat. She didn't want to feel guilty but couldn't help it when it was her father who had to suffer the punishment of her actions. The actions of her other supernatural family, the Cullen's. While Bella wanted to ignore it completely she knew Renee was curious about what had happened to cause the argument.

"They don't like the Cullen's?" Renee asked confused, the only people Renee could even start to consider having a problem with them would be herself and Charlie for the way they'd cut ties with Bella. She'd not held a grudge, Charlie possibly the most stubborn man she'd ever met in her life was accepting of them too. Had finally even come around to Edward, which Renee had believed would never happen, the Cullen's were a kind and generous family. They loved her daughter too as one of their own.

"They've always had a problem with them." Bella said not wanting to go into the details of it, it was clear to most of the locals who knew anyone from La Push that those on the reservation didn't want anything to do with the Cullen family. That some of the members of the tribe had gone as far as too completely stop going to the hospital to simply avoid being in any capacity that had them near any of the members.

Most of the town put it down to a strange prejudice, some rumoured it was about a land ownership disagreement. That somehow the Cullen's had ownership of land the council of the Quileute's deemed theirs. There were many reasons for the clear hostility between them but none were the correct answer, no one knew the truth of two supernatural enemies that couldn't stand each other. That the conflict was from something much deeper and instinctual as two ancient supernatural creatures barely held themselves from war.

"Esme's a lovely woman. She's raised good, honest, loving children. I can't imagine what excuse they'd have for being so hateful. I'm glad you never let your dad's friendship with Billy and the tribe effect your relationship with the Cullen's" Renee said proud that Bella hadn't let rumours and hate influence her own choices, little did Renee know that there was no choice. It wouldn't have mattered how she'd thought or believed, the moment she'd met Edward it would have all came back to him. He would have always brought her to him. The bond would have demanded nothing less of them.

"I got to know the Cullen's before any of Dad's friends I went to school with them" It was true, Bella while had memories of fishing trips with Billy hadn't really known any of them when she'd moved back. She'd not gone to La Push until after she'd already met Edward and the other Cullen's, she'd only even spoke to Jacob that day on the beach to gain information on why the older boys had reacted badly to her inviting Edward to first beach.

"I imagine nothing could have been said to change your mind on Edward" Renee grinned down at Bella as she moved to stroke her fingers through her daughter's long hair as Bella grinned shyly not meeting her mother's eyes.

"I was worried when he came back. I was so ready to tell you to stay away. Charlie and I were so scared when he left you and you were so heartbroken. You've always been like Charlie in that respect constant and sure of what you wanted, I didn't want you stuck yearning for someone who didn't want you in the same way. Then you started to come back to life, I could hear it in your voice when we spoke and then when Edward came to visit with you. I knew he loved you. The way he watched you. Like there was nothing in the world that would stop him from being by your side. Like he'd jump in front of a bullet for you if he had too" Bella listened to Renee enjoying the closeness with her once best friend. Before Bella had moved to Forks, Renee had really be her only friend of course she'd had people she'd been friendly with at school but nothing like she'd had here in Forks.

"I knew that he'd ask to marry you and that scared me too. I thought you'd do what Charlie and I did, marry far too young we weren't mature enough or I wasn't. I wanted you to have the best of life. I guess part of me hoped you'd wait but I know that you aren't me. I just want you to know that I'm happy for you. Any doubts I might have had. I want you to know I trust you and Edward to make the right choices, I just hope you won't forget about me when your off living as a married couple" Renee said softly Bella resting closer to her mother, cuddling against her suddenly feeling like she couldn't speak but silently wishing she could tell her mother that this was goodbye. Tell her mother that she loved her and that she'd never forget her, forever she'd remember her and Charlie. All parents hoped their children outlived their parents. Bella would, but unfortunately she'd need to die in their eyes to live forever with the man she loved. She was sorry that she'd hurt them both so that she could have what she wanted.

Both Renee and Bella would return to watching the movie in a somewhat silence, every now and then sharing a giggled exchange over what they were watching. Renee had even tried to pull some gossip from Bella about the seriousness of Bella and Edward's relationship, her mother very much still interested in why she'd found Edward's wallet within her daughter's bed sheets. Bella had done her best to try and change the topic. She'd also done her best to lie around the reason for her wearing one of Edward's shirts. She'd told Renee it had been because some of her stitches had bled slightly during the day but Renee hadn't seemed all that convinced. Renee however was simply happy that despite the horrible attack her daughter suffered, she seemed relatively still herself. If not even happier then she'd seen her before, they spoke about Bella and Edward visiting Renee in Jacksonville before they finalized any marriage plans.

It became very clear that while Bella may want something more private and small Renee wanted her daughter to have the best. Bella knew she was in for a rough road with her own mother, Alice and Esme all wanting to help her plan the nuptials she was going to share with Edward. The cynical part of her mind, telling her that they had to get through so much before she and Edward could be married first. The two remained cuddled together until eventually Bella found herself tiredly closing her eyes while resting her head against her mother's shoulder.

Edward would eventually leave his family home to return to Bella, the sound of Renee and Bella both sleeping in her bedroom would stop him from entering as he remained outside. He didn't want to intrude on the moment knowing that there would not be many left for them both like this. There was also the risk of waking Renee by his entering, he'd remain close by as he always did though on the tree line near her home watching over her as he always did. Ready to protect her and be there the moment she needed him. Edward didn't get to see what became of Charlie's conversation finding the cruiser and Charlie absent, he'd not been aware of Charlie working a late shift but assumed he would find Charlie at the station should he look for Bella's father. In the early light of the morning Jasper's thoughts would break through into Edward's mind as he approached with Eleazer and Alice.

Edward knew that both men had wanted to speak to him the previous evening when he'd returned after talking with Esme, but he'd wanted to give Esme the freedom of not having debates and discussions on what they planned. He'd tried to gift his mother a night without the constant bickering of how best to kill or attack those who risked their loved ones. Carlisle hadn't returned from the hospital, but Esme had been somewhat expecting of this. Carlisle found comfort in his work and with him leaving most had expected him to remain at the hospital as long as he could before returning home. Edward knew that Esme had planned to start packing some items before he'd left to be at Bella's side. He wasn't sure what time they would be leaving but he'd suspected during the evening.

Edward planned on driving Renee and Bella to Seattle so that Renee could catch her flight back to Jacksonville. It would give both Renee and Bella more time together, it would also give Edward the chance to search somewhat limitedly with his mind reading for any stray thoughts of newborns within the Seattle area. He'd thought to have either Kate or Emmet present but hadn't wanted to split the family up just yet. He'd be in a very populated place where he doubted vampires would risk exposure. Edward would be relying on his wide hearing range to pick up anything of a hint of the location that Riley had planned to move the newborns after the confrontation yesterday.

"This must be rather important for you to be coming here to talk to me" Edward said dropping down from the tree branch that he'd placed himself throughout the night, it gave him the best view of Bella's bedroom window so he could still watch her.

Edward did however notice that there seemed to be some attempt by all three to try and think around his ability, Eleazer was thinking in his natural Spanish tongue reciting a passage of an ancient book he'd enjoyed reading in Volterra. Jasper was circling around images, using images that Edward and he both knew would somewhat repel Edward's mind reading. Jasper switched between memories of his past during his time in the south and then switching back to moments in the fight. Alice went with her usual attempt trying to use music, the modern high tempo base music that Edward abhorred. It worked effectively but still things slipped through, trails of thoughts that they tried to push back by concentrating on their chosen attempts to keeping him blind. It wasn't nearly as effective as his family liked to believe when he truly focussed on their minds. Edward had always found that the more someone tried to hide something in their thoughts the more often they thought of it and in there revealed what it was they wished to hide.

"You're trying to hide something from me" Edward said simply as the three of them stood before him, his head turning slightly towards the direction of his mate and her steady heartbeat and breathing as she rested peacefully.

"What's wrong?" Edward said then turning back to them his question firm, he didn't like when his family tried to hide their thoughts from him. While he'd never admit it to his family with his constant forcing to try and dull their thoughts from his mind when he wanted to know something he usually found that he didn't even think twice about using his ability to gain what information he desired.

"You left before we could talk. We hoped if we spoke early enough then we wouldn't disturb your time with Bella today. Alice saw that you planned to go to Seattle so we parked your Volvo a few blocks away." Jasper said using his own ability to try and ease his calm influence over his brother.

Eleazer had believed Jasper's influence would be much needed. Alice was here simply because of her natural connection to Edward of all his siblings he took better to her presence than any other, they knew approaching Edward with what they had to talk about might go badly. That he may reject what they had to address him with. That they could no longer let him believe that it had been Jasper and Alice who had saved him from the newborn who had been crushing him.

"You saw something?" Edward turned to Alice then hoping that somehow her visions were starting to come back. Every so often she'd see something very brief but not enough to know anything important. Edward couldn't help but hope for his sister's ability to somehow adapt and start to see around the blackness that left her blind to the wolves. If her ability was to come back to her now, she may very well be able to find Riley all with her own ability. As long as the wolves were closely involved though they may have to resort to tracking, it would likely be what they'd do if Edward found nothing in his lone search with his mind reading.

"I only saw you and Bella in your car driving away from the airport. It was blurred and barely a flash. I'm still unable to see anything else. I think it was only because you were far enough away from here that I even saw that. I've tried to see Victoria, Riley or anything else but nothing. I'm sorry" Alice said knowing that Edward would want to use her ability to guide them to find those that chose to hide. She wished that she could help. With her hard fall in the fight yesterday and her lack of visions she was feeling truly useless in helping her family.

Alice had spent most of the evening trying to comfort a still very much shaken Rose. Rose was struggling never having been made to feel weak since her change she was not taking that well. Mixed reactions of clinginess and then rage when people tried to help, it reminded Edward much of the Rose that he'd first met after her change. Dealing with the torment of the attack that had taken her human life, Rose was strong she'd find herself again and then she'd come up fighting.

"It isn't your fault. It's become clear that Riley is the one in control of the newborns, Victoria gives orders but you had no idea that they were being carried out by a middle man. It would have escaped your ability not knowing who to watch for. Now we're too involved with that of the pack so it's having an effect on all your visions because our future will involve them" Edward said reaching to Alice and squeezing her shoulder gently to reassure her that no one blamed her for not being able to help the family.

Ever since she'd joined them Alice with her gift had guided them through the years. Too long they'd expected too much of her, it was time they grew used to being able to handle situations without the visions of Alice. They were helpful of course but never concrete as they changed with the choices made, simply seeing the visions often changed the outcome anyway.

"So I know it isn't about Bella and I taking her mother to the airport then what is it that you need to talk to me about. You seemed rather urgent about talking about it last night and clearly your need to discuss whatever it is has only grown during the night. You don't have to block me I'm willing to talk Bella is still asleep and I won't be taking Renee to the airport for a couple more hours" Edward said and expected some kind of response from them, he had no problem talking to them about whatever it was that bothered them.

Edward knew that he'd asked Jasper to contact some of their nomad friends. He hoped there wasn't any bad news from the friends that they looked to call upon. Edward knew how dangerous a life as a nomad could be especially when travelling through lands with actual covens placed there. Not all covens were welcoming of nomad's on their hunting grounds and it could result in devastating consequences. Edward doubted however that Jasper would have felt the need to shield such news from him. While Edward would be saddened by the loss of any of his friends it was simply part of this life even for immortals. While frozen, death still clung to them, no one truly lived forever even those who claimed themselves the most powerful of the vampires.

"It's about the fight with the newborns Edward" Alice said deciding that she'd be the one to try and break it to Edward first, her mind opening up then to him. Showing him flashes of images of the battles scenes, Alice lingering on the moment she'd been badly harmed, she was doing outwardly okay but Edward noticed then that Alice too was not happy with how she'd faired in the fight. Edward knew on some degree he held much annoyance at his own fight. He'd been distracted and almost gotten himself destroyed.

"We've spoken about the fight. We won't let those mistakes happen again. We should have had Eleazer there even if he wasn't taking part then simply to see for those who may possess gifts" Edward replied believing that this was some attempt at strategizing, while none of them believed the newborns were the first threat with the wolves being so close. Edward respected that he'd been single minded to believe the newborn threat would just sit back and wait for him to deal with those of the pack. An error in judgement, while not his only error he knew it could have resulted in much more drastic consequences had he not been at his home to hear those thoughts of the approaching threat.

"This isn't about how we dealt with the fight. It's about you Edward" Jasper placed his hand on Alice's shoulder moving forward then to talk with Edward seriously.

Jasper's mind was showing Edward in the grip of the beaten newborn, the image was of Edward and the newborn on their knees amongst the body parts as Edward struggled against the destructive strength of the newborn. Edward watched though as his own face scrunched up, fractures trailing up from under his shirt and over his neck crawling slowly along his face. His body about to crumble, under the sheer strength and power of the newborn. Then his voice, he'd almost forgotten he'd even spoken out loud when he'd believed he was going to fail. He saw that Jasper was nowhere close enough to stop the newborn, or even Alice as suddenly the newborn recoiled. All but flung its own battered body away from Edward. It was what Edward saw in Jasper's mind though, his memory of hearing Edward's voice in his head. Of how it almost buckled him, bringing him to his own knees under the command that Edward had given.

Edward was stunned, as he looked into his brother's eyes not completely sure he was understanding at all what Jasper's memories were trying to show him. What he'd missed in his own agony and belief that Jasper and Alice had saved him from destruction. They'd not been close enough to pull the newborn off him, no one had been there to stop what would have happened to him. He'd heard his own voice in Jasper's mind as clear as he heard the voices of other's in his own. There had been something more than within that demand, that scared and desperate plea he'd cried out. Like Jasper had he been the one holding him wouldn't have had even the will to not do as he was asked, the newborn cradling his own head whimpering those words. Edward stood stock still, his head slowly shaking as he stepped away from Jasper and Alice.

Eleazer though stood watching Edward intently.

Using his subtle but powerful gift.

He'd been too focused on watching Jasper's memories. He'd all but made himself blind to the strange gift that Eleazer's mind held within him. It had been why they'd all come together Edward saw then, Jasper and both Alice noticing what had happened during the fight. They'd told the others and then had spoken to Eleazer about it. Eleazer had known that Edward's gift was developing. Eleazer had not expected it to be so strongly developed though. It was like the newborn with her gift when she'd been scared. That fear and desperation had unlocked the key to parts of the gift that had before been unknown. Self preservation was one of the highest natural instincts within a vampire. Too survive was what a vampire's main instinct demanded.

"Truly remarkable. I knew the possibilities were of any but this... I have seen nothing like it. For all the gifts I've seen. I've seen illusions, readers, thought pushers, but too so directly place an order in the mind. It's incredible, what you could do. The limits while I'm not sure of... it's incredible that I've not seen this before. That your hearing thoughts gives you control and there in lay the true potential of your gift. To control all that surrounds you. Hearing thoughts is nothing more than a branch off from what you can do Edward" Eleazer said with wide eyed wonder stepping past Jasper and Alice to move closer to Edward while he remained still shaking his head. He didn't want this, he'd not even wanted to hear thoughts.

"The reason you hear those minds you know so well even further simply giving you better ability to force your control over them. It's a wonder you've never stumbled upon it before. Carlisle always said you had more control then even he and I always presumed his pride in you the reason for that. Perhaps he saw what I could not in your gifts without its maturing" Eleazer reached out his hand then and Edward knocked it away and stepped completely away from them all.

"I don't want this. I don't even want to see thoughts. I don't want control" Edward denied it, the gift that seemed to have cursed his entire existence seeming to only further grow to haunt him. All those cruel taunts directed at him by Jake about his way of making Bella want him, brainwashing her it seemed his gift was closer to that sick twisted ability then he would ever want. While Bella would remain protected from his gifts always the rest of the world was not.

"You can't hide from this Edward. You see the bad in your gift and that makes sense because of whom you are but don't let this be made evil. The gift you have could truly become something so much better than that. Its young think of it like a child, this gift. Nurture and care for it as Kate did with her own. You control the gift, the gift does not control you" Eleazer said evenly knowing that he had to reach Edward now, he did not want a repeat of the agony Edward forced himself to endure at the knowledge of being a mind reader. While other's felt many things for having gifts Edward was the only man he'd known to resent it, to believe it a curse.

"Your mind reading has only been an extension of what your true gift was" Jasper said from behind Eleazer as Edward turned his gaze to Jasper nodding in agreement with what he'd managed to see from Eleazer's thoughts. It was very overwhelming for Edward, all this time he'd believed himself a mind reader and he'd been incorrect in that assessment.

Aro was a true mind reader. He saw all, every thought and memory the person had. Edward only saw what was there as it was thought. He'd had a link to minds his entire existence, refused to let his power grow to what it was meant to be. Not a mind reader but someone who could force thoughts, ideas into the mind.

"It's very powerful. I've seen others who can force images. As Carlisle, knows of Zafrina and gift of her illusions. Yours is much more Edward. You can command a thought, as you did to the newborn. It released you in its most deadly and lost instinct, to destroy its enemy" Eleazer shook his head still very much interested in working with Edward.

Eleazer had wanted to push the ability that Edward possessed even when he'd only known it was developing now it had a direct ability and he was seeing Edward whole in a way for the first time. He couldn't deny the eager desire to help Edward practice, the possibility of seeing something as rare as even that of Zafrina, Alec, even Jane with Edward's developing gift. He wanted to see its strength's, its limitations and the opportunities were endless with this rarity.

"I... I need time. To think about this. To wrap my own head around this, development. It wasn't what I was expecting" Edward turned his head towards Bella's home, the sound of Renee stirring and leaving Bella's room making him want to go to Bella even more now. To seek out her comfort and assurance, the love he knew he'd find in her embrace no matter his strange supernatural powers. Jasper could sense the longing in his brother to be away for a moment from them and he understood it even if he wanted to discuss this all more.

"We understand... I don't want to push you but this. Edward this power you have. It could save so many lives. If you can target multiple people. If you truly can take away a person's control." Jasper said with a firm urgency but Edward was already seeing the picture that Jasper's mind was conjuring of a battlefield of their enemies stock still like Edward had heard of the nightmare tales of Alec's gift. A field of wolf's motionless standing with Vampire's frozen in place.

"You'd be able to end a fight before it even began. You would be able to prevent any fighting at all Edward" Jasper concluded but the image that Edward saw in his brother's mind didn't sit well with him, even though he wanted his enemies destroyed. That image of him standing against a field of enemies controlling them made him feel more like the Volturi and the power and control they forced on everyone then he'd ever wanted.

"We can't rely on a gift I've not even used with any sense of control. I'm by no means capable of what you think" Edward denied instantly wanting to remove the thoughts that Jasper was having, he didn't think he was a weapon like Alec. Didn't want to be seen as a weapon in any way at all. It was one thing to fight for his family to protect them, it was different slaughtering helpless creatures even if they'd wronged him.

"It's fine. We know you want to go to Bella, Edward" Alice cut in on her husband as he moved to say something more to Edward placing her hand on Jasper's arm silencing him.

"We can talk about this when you arrive home. As a family, all of us. Esme and Carlisle will leave this evening. Bring Bella we can say our goodbyes and then begin planning. We've sat around idle doing nothing for too long. It's making us weak. We can't let them have more time to prepare, nothing was done after they attacked us. They'll grow daring" Edward nodded at Alice agreeing with her completely, he was grateful for her standing in too. He'd waited all evening to be with Bella and didn't want to miss the chance to be by her side when she woke.

"Thank you" Edward said turning towards Bella's home and then turning back to Alice and Jasper, Eleazer was a few yards distant further but well within hearing range.

"Have Kate ready. If I'm to develop this gift I'll need her guidance. We can't afford to leave something like that out of our control. I won't be a hindrance to my family" While they had not seen it Edward had seen his gift differently then Jasper had.

If Edward had used this strange undeveloped gift while they'd all been fighting, had he caused Jasper to so abruptly freeze it could have been his end. He could have indirectly caused the destruction of his family by protecting himself. He couldn't risk that, while he hated the thought of it. Time for hiding behind his mind reading was gone, he needed to accept his gift fully and learn the complete scope of what it was he could do. He would protect his family at all costs. He knew one thing though. Edward knew that Aro could never again come into contact with either him or anyone of his family that knew of this gift. Eleazer may trust what Aro stands for, Edward took Alice's warning to heart though. He'd seen Aro's mind, knew some of the inner workings of that ancients mind. He could not become more desirable to that man or risk an endless chase from Aro trying to obtain those within his family.

"I'll inform her of your request. She'll have no problem helping you Edward. We all will" Eleazer said as Edward accepted that this was what he'd need to do. His gift had always been something that he'd struggled with, knowing the minds around him as intimately as he had, it would always be something he'd have desired never being capable of. If it meant keeping his family safe though he couldn't continue to hold himself back.

The three of them left quickly then as Edward moved to Bella's home, he leapt fluidly up from the ground almost stepping onto the window ledge and opening it with one movement. He was through the window and into Bella's room before the breeze of the outside even had chance to whisk into Bella's bedroom and cool the warmer temperature. Renee had left to get herself ready for leaving Forks, she'd let Bella rest for a little longer. Edward was thankful for that, as it gave him time to see her, at least be here for her when she woke. Edward's hand slowly reaching out as he crouched at her bed side his fingers tracing along her smooth cheek, stroking tenderly along her jaw while his thumb slid over her full bottom lip. Instantly calmed by being at her side, thoughts of Eleazer, Jasper and Alice forgotten along with his power that was growing, his resolve was strengthened in her. Bella his fragile mate who was his rock even without knowing, she held him strong, she was both his greatest weakness and his greatest strength. Edward listened to the pitch in her heartbeat, her body somehow knowing he was close as he touched her and then those chocolate brown eyes that pierced his very being fluttered to life and peered up at him filled with sleep. The warm smile that slowly spread over Bella's face as she focussed on his face, his own smile matching her own her hand reached up and holding his hand captive. Pressing her warm plump lips into his fingertips.

"Morning love" Edward whispered.

"I fell asleep before you got here" Bella said in an apologetic tone as Edward grinned shaking his head, his other hand moving to brush her wild untamed hair away from her face. He could see with his enhanced vision that the stitches were ready to be taken out from her face, he'd have to talk to Carlisle about it before he left. Edward was more than capable of ensuring Bella's care though. He'd attended medical school more than once in his existence.

"Don't worry. Renee stayed with you. Both of you fell asleep I waited until she left to join you" Edward explained as he leaned closer to press his lips to Bella's mouth as she turned her cheek Edward catching the corner of her lips.

"Sorry. I haven't brushed my teeth yet" Bella said with heated cheeks and Edward chuckled at the absurdity of it, she truly had no idea how little effect such a thing had when she tasted like heaven to him. She was everything he longed to taste, even just her lips were a pleasure he'd never before tasted.

"Renee is leaving today" Edward said as Bella nodded in confirmation.

"I thought I could drive the both of you. Give you a little extra time with her before her flight. I know you miss her. I'm not sure how much time you'll have left to spend with them both Bella." Edward said referring to her change that they both knew was coming soon, he wanted Bella to have as much closure from her human life as she could have.

"When will you change me?" Bella asked now. Curious of the answer, graduation had gone, while she should be preparing for college she'd instead be found frozen in this strange limbo of waiting. The agreement had been to change her but then this had all happened, suddenly stuck in the middle of a supernatural war. Charlie would be expecting to know what was happening soon, he'd not asked question but he would eventually.

"I wanted to wait only while we settle the problems we have. I know it leaves you vulnerable but changing you now while we can't leave is far too risky. I don't want you to carry that burden. Once the pack and Victoria are handled we'll leave. I'll change you then. I'm ready Bella. I'm ready for forever." Edward said seriously the conviction in his voice making Bella feel so much better, she'd known he was willing but seeing his face free of pain or hesitation when he spoke of her coming transformation made her feel amazing.

"What will we tell them?" Bella said the other side of her happiness the guilt of what her change would do to her parents, they could never know. She would have to die in their eyes to live forever in Edward's world, they couldn't know for the risk it would have to their lives if they knew the secret.

"If all goes well. We'll marry away from here. Charlie and Renee will see you walk down the aisle to me and that will be the last time they see us. We'll leave for our honeymoon and instead of hearing from us we'll have one of our family members tell them. To explain that there was an accident that we both passed away. We'll leave them enough money to take care of them throughout their lives, we'll even watch over them if that is something you want. We'll die on our honeymoon to them though" Edward tried his best to explain in a way that wouldn't hurt his Bella he could see the tears build in the corner of her eyes but they never spilled as she nodded understanding that there was no real alternative.

"They'll be so hurt" Bella whispered feeling the gravity of what this choice really meant, to be with her love she'd have to break her parents hearts. She'd seen in their reactions to what had happened to her just how much she was loved by them, it would have been unbearable if the future she was gaining wasn't everything she wanted.

"It will never be easy. Being what we are, always forced to the outside only ever looking in never being part of. They will hurt but they'll live on. It's one of the beautiful parts of human life, their ability to continue on. To survive even despite their pain. They will always miss you but they'll know Bella deep down they'll know they had a beautiful daughter who loved them and was so very happy. They'll know she wasn't alone when she passed from this world" Edward said finally capturing Bella's lips this time as they shared a deep kiss filled with love and the mourning of what they would one day have to do. Edward could only hope that Bella viewed him worthy enough of the sacrifice she would need to make.

Bella and Edward shared a short time alone then in her bedroom kissing and caressing away the thoughts of the hurt they would one day have to place on her parents. While Edward wished there was another way he knew that it simply wouldn't be safe. They had remained in each other's arms until Edward had needed to remind Bella that he'd need to collect his car and arrive for appearance sake with Renee. Edward could see from Renee's thoughts that while she hated leaving Bella she was beyond her limit when it came to Forks, she'd never really ever liked the place.

Everything about Forks was against Renee as a person, she was bright and lively and wished to live in places similar. She liked warm places and the city life she'd grown accustom too was much more her pace, Forks was too stagnant. Though Edward did notice a stray thought, a moment when he'd carried Renee's bag to his car when Renee had thought of Charlie and the family they could have shared. The moment when she thought what if she had stayed, she thought of herself and Charlie raising Bella in the house they had once planned. She loved Phil truly and he was who she wanted but Renee had loved Charlie, she'd hurt him in her immature attitude, she'd always regret that. Charlie was a good man, one she'd always believe would have loved her and Bella without fault. She was sad that she didn't get to say goodbye to Charlie before she left but Bella had promised to tell Charlie that Renee had been thankful to him for letting her stay in his home while she'd visited.

Edward had simply become chauffer to Bella and Renee, listening with great humour as the both of them talked during the trip to Seattle in the backseats of his car. Renee had decided to address the wallet issue with Edward present, he had seen from her mind that she'd been unrelenting with her constant bringing it up to Bella. He'd not been free of her accusation, he'd done his best to laugh his way around it. All people knew that he'd been in her bedroom that night, no matter Bella's embarrassed protests Renee had caught them. They'd arrived at Seattle airport with time to spare and Edward had convinced both Bella and Renee to allow him to take them both to dinner away from the airport. It had both been a way to give Bella her much needed time with her mother as well as giving him a more central place to try and hear anything.

Bella had done her best to keep Edward from being noticed as he'd seemed to be more distracted then he usually was, fortunately with Renee's constant chatter it was easier than if it had been Charlie. She had wanted to ask him what it was he was hearing but left him, for all his distractions he didn't seem overly worried and she doubted he'd have brought them into Seattle alone if he'd believed there was a threat. Eventually he'd simply sighed audibly, offered Bella an apologetic smile and then involved himself in the conversation they were having as if he hadn't been silent and not present for the beginning of their meal together. Renee had tried her best to convince the two that they should spend some time in Jacksonville with her and Phil and they'd both done their best not to outright say either yes or no.

In the past Edward knew he'd have tried to convince Bella to go but now he knew sending her away even when there was so many threats around Forks would only hinder himself. Being away from her was unbearable, the added heightened feelings that was blooming for both of them now too with the more intimate awakening of their relationship had only strengthened their bond. It be near impossible now for them to part for any length of time. The evening simply being outside of her window had been uncomfortable for Edward even though he'd been able to hear her heart and see her from her window. Edward knew the bond was demanding the final completion of their mating, the one he was ready to give her. To consummate their bond completely, to finally make love to his mate. He'd never before thought it possible that it could be completed while Bella was human but her reaction to harm coming to him had thrown away all his beliefs.

"You'll take care of her?" Renee said as she hugged Edward tightly as they were saying their final goodbyes, while not used to being close to anyone other than Bella and his family he'd always welcomed Renee's need to hug. Even if it did worry him her noticing his cooler touch, if she had noticed it at all she'd not lingered on the thought.

"Always Renee. We'll see you soon enough" Edward smiled, Renee kissing his cheek and stepping away and turning to Bella opening her arms out to her daughter as Bella moved into her mother's arm quickly.

"I'm going to miss you sweetie. Make sure you take care of yourself and please think about visiting. Phil and I would be more than happy to have you and Edward with us" Renee cupped her daughter's cheek looking into her teary eyes.

"I love you mom" Bella said trying her best to control her tears, she had enjoyed their day together and she'd never been more thankful to Edward then she was now. He'd given her more time with Renee, after they'd spoken about how soon she'd be changed she knew her time with Renee was almost over. Even though she'd been curious what had taken Edward's attention so completely and why he'd been so silent for most of the day she'd been happy to simply talk about the past. About silly stories the two had shared together, from times even before Renee had met and then married Phil. When it had just been the two of them.

"I love you too baby. If you need anything Bella. Just call, I'll be on the next flight back. You just have to ask" Renee said and Bella could see that her mother was serious which in some ways surprised her, this accident had really affected both her parents. She'd barely had time to think about her injuries most of the day, though she'd noticed a few stray glances but then it seemed whenever Bella tried to see if someone was staring at her scars Edward was usually there. Perfectly timed to pull her thoughts and attention away from it, she was on to him though positive he was trying to shield her from the reactions of people to how she looked now.

"I know mom. Call me when you land I don't care what time it is when you do. I'm sure Phil has missed you too" Bella said her hand still holding her mother's, the lingering need to not let her leave yet.

Even in spite of Bella knowing that she wanted the life she had chosen this felt almost final, as she stood in this airport knowing that she may not see her mother again. That this may very well be one of the last times she got to spend time with her mother, she wasn't sure what was coming. She didn't know what the future held for everyone she loved and with Alice blind, she doubted she'd be knowing what was coming until everything was dealt with. As if Edward could somehow read her mind he stepped forward slipped his arm around Bella's waist and pulled her to him as Renee backed up slightly picking up her carry on and waving a little.

"I better go I'll miss you both. Bella take care of him. Edward you know" Edward simply smiled at Renee and nodded at Renee's not subtle comment, not that he needed to be told to take care of Bella. He held Bella close to him knowing she'd struggle with this placing a kiss to the side of her head as she clung to him her emotions finally getting the best of her.

"Bye mom" Bella croaked waving at her mother as she stood in Edward's embrace watching her mother move through the checking line, through into the main part of the airport. Renee waving one last time once she'd made it through the security gate. Then turning away from Bella and Edward, moving further into the mass of people. Bella losing sight of her mother and then falling apart into Edward's arms.

"Shush love its okay. You'll hear from her soon. You'll get to see her again" Edward whispered into her hair his arms wrapped tight around her petit body trying his best to sooth his emotional mate, he didn't envy Bella her choice.

He'd never known what he was giving up, his parents already passed on he'd never had to leave them behind. He doubted he would have, but had he known Bella was his reward had he been healthy and his parents alive he knew he'd have made the same choice. Even now with all that he was and had lived through, knowing that at the end of it all he'd be rewarded Bella he'd pick her each time. He'd endure the pain and agony all over again to have her, she was worth anything to him. He could only hope that Bella would always feel he'd been worth the sacrifice she'd make to be with him.

"Let's go home love" Edward whispered wrapping his arm around her shoulder as Bella kept her face still somewhat pressed into his chest as he guided her towards the parking lot. Bella's crying finally slowing as she gained control of herself turning up to look at Edward.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think I'd fall apart like that. She kept asking us to think about spending time with her in Jacksonville and then making plans with her and I couldn't explain why. I know she was disappointed. I hate hurting her especially when I know we'll have to die in her eyes" Bella said shaking her head moving her hand to brush the tears off her cheeks feeling a little silly for breaking down in the middle of an airport like those cheesy movies Renee always enjoyed.

"You have nothing to apologise for Bella. You can feel however you want. If you want to spend time with Renee before you undergo the change we can try to arrange that. I won't rush you Bella if you need more time with your parents I'll give you that. I love you I only want this to be as easy for you as possible" Edward turned to her pausing in the exit and tilting Bella's chin up as he leant down pressing his lips to her own chastely as Bella's hands twisted in the front of his shirt melting into his kiss.

"Thank you" Bella said suddenly the feelings shifting drastically at Edward's kiss, the need for more filling her completely she felt all over the place. These all consuming desires to make some type of claim of Edward settling over her chest again making her face flushed, her body ache in ways only she'd ever felt with him.

"Your distracting me" She whispered heatedly her tone a little breathy, once upon a time she'd accused him of trying to dazzle her and while this had a similar affect it was different. The way his taste seemed to make her feel wild when they kissed, the way his touch sent her body off like a live wire. His crooked smile was all the answer she needed as she shook her head at him, noticing that a few people were staring at them curiously as she tugged on his shirt pulling him out of the entrance way so they weren't blocking anyone's exit. All while Edward laughed lightly at Bella's blush.

"You seemed distracted enough for the both of us today?" Bella said with a question in her tone, while she'd much prefer to continue kissing Edward she knew this wasn't the place. Not out in the open, she'd much prefer the privacy of their bedrooms especially for the things she really wanted to share with Edward. Though she was deeply curious about what had garnered Edward's attention so completely during the meal they'd shared with Renee, not that Edward had ate anything. He'd done his part of moving food around with his forks to make it at least appear as if he too was eating.

"I was. I'm sorry for that. I wanted to see if I could hear anything. I wasn't expecting anything and I was right to assume so. I'd hoped that I'd pick up on vampires in the area. Unfortunately I didn't hear anything. Jasper will have to arrange scouting trips to Seattle to track scents. We've been complacent. We're sitting back and doing nothing. Giving our enemies too much time to plan out their strikes against us" Edward told Bella honestly as he slipped his hand into her own as they walked towards his Volvo. Bella listened intently. Pleased that she was no longer someone that was left to the background unaware of what was happening. She felt like his true equal now that he shared so much with her even the things that in the past he'd have hidden in his aim to protect her.

"Should you be splitting up everyone like that though? Carlisle and Esme are leaving today will we have enough people" Bella said concerned, if Esme and Carlisle were leaving it meant even less numbers to the expanded numbers of the pack and the fluctuating size of the newborn army. She worried there wasn't enough of her family to protect themselves.

"I've had Jasper contact friends of the family. He's sending word to Peter and Charlotte. Garret, a friend of the family and nomad. He's also contacted my friend Xavier, we travelled together during my rebellious phase" Edward said Bella turning her eyes to him pausing to a standstill in front of his Volvo.

"You travelled with another vampire?" Bella asked surprised, she'd never heard about anyone he'd spent time with during his existence she'd believed she'd met all those Edward had lived with for a time. His family, and now the Denali coven. It was even more interesting because this vampire was with Edward when he'd hunted humans.

"Yes Xavier and I spent a few years travelling. It's not safe for a vampire to travel alone. Xavier was a good friend, when I returned to Carlisle though he didn't wish to follow the diet. He preferred hunting criminals. I've not seen him since I returned to my family" Edward told Bella moving around her and opening the passenger door for her as Bella climbed in her lips parted almost on a question that seemed stuck on her tongue.

"How will it work? If they all hunt humans" Bella said finally was Edward moved into the driver's side as he turned to her smiling pulling the car out from the parking lot swiftly.

"I've told Jasper that while we require their assistance and they stay with us they must feed on animals. Too much attention has been drawn to the deaths here in Seattle. Having four human drinkers added to the hunting area would only draw more attention. They'll either decide not to help or they will and they'll work to the rules of our territory. Charlotte and Peter are Jasper's friends while they may want to refuse they wouldn't say no to Jasper. Garret likely will refuse. Xavier owes me. He'd not be here if it weren't for me so he'll return the favour." Edward said clearly confident that some of them would simply do as asked, Edward believed they would too. It wasn't like he was trying to force them to convert their drinking habits only while they were confined to the Cullen territory, he wanted to keep control of the deaths that were already growing out of control.

"And Carlisle and Esme have to leave?" Bella asked feeling the unease of them leaving, while Carlisle had upset her with the way he'd reacted after the fight she wasn't sure if it was the right decision to send them away. They were a family, in the hospital they'd been so set in family sticking together it felt wrong to then tell two members of the family to go.

"It isn't that I want to make them go" Edward sighed reaching to Bella and taking her hand in his own, his eyes however focussed on the road ahead.

"Carlisle is struggling. I'm hoping to save our relationship too. By sending him away I'm hoping there will still be a chance to fix it in the future. Esme must go with Carlisle, they're mated and she isn't taking to Jasper's training well. While she has learned the technique she's lacking in the execution, she doesn't go for the killer blow. Something that could harm her" Edward tried his best to explain to Bella why it was that Carlisle and Esme were both being sent away for a time, he was trying to save Carlisle from being forced to endure the killing. He was sending him away so they weren't to turn against each other, Edward could see that if things continued that may be the result. He wouldn't allow that.

"There has been things changing. Between Carlisle and I. I will always see him as my father but things have come to light that I'm not sure we can get past. I hope I'm wrong. This morning Jasper, Alice and Eleazer had news for me. My power we've believed for some time it's developing..."

"Developing?" Bella asked confused, never before hearing a term for those gifted within the family before.

"A developing gift is when a talent starts to change over time. It can either become stronger or merge into something more. Kate's talent was a developing one. She once could only shock someone with the palm of her hands. Now she can shock anyone when they come into contact with any part of her skin she has her talent active on." Bella nodded understanding then, suddenly realising that would mean that Edward's mind reading was developing. She couldn't help but feel proud of him, she wasn't sure why she felt that but the thought that his gift was becoming even more powerful only eased her worry. If Edward was stronger he'd be safer in this world.

"How is your mind reading developing?" Bella asked sitting up a little straighter her fingers playing with Edward's as she held his hand in her lap.

"Eleazer believes I'm not a mind reader. In some respects I have to agree. Aro is a mind reader. Aro can see and hear any thought or memory he wants with touch. I only hear what is present in the moment. When I was in the fight with the newborns I was being crushed. I'd become distracted and tried to warn Rose. One of them wrapped me up and started to crush me. I'd cried out for the newborn to release me. I'd believed, Jasper and Alice had stepped in and saved me but from Jasper's thought I saw what had happened. The command I'd made had not only been verbal it had also been mentally sent, the newborn heard it and so did Jasper. The newborn let go of me because I'd told him too" Edward said he'd still be very much trying to work it out in his own mind, trying to understand what it had been he'd done and seen from Jasper's thoughts. Even Eleazer's thoughts on what it would be he'd be capable of in the end.

"It's like the alpha command" Bella said and Edward turned to her surprised that he'd not seen it in that way too, and yet deeply disturbed that he'd somehow have an ability like that of the pack. Surprised Bella had seen in his developing gift the truth of it that he'd lacked knowing.

"They share a pack mind. You share in everyone's mind hear everything. When Sam makes an order his alpha command must be followed. You can do that to other people" Bella continued and Edward didn't like the thought of sharing anything that was like the pack but he had to respect that what Bella was saying was very close to the mark.

Like Eleazer had said his talent was like a child that had to be nurtured correctly, he wouldn't know what it was until he started to learn. He would have to be blind not to see the similarities that his gift had though to that of the pack. Edward had begun to reply to Bella when his phone had started ringing, he'd pulled it free from his pocket clicking the answers.

"Hello?"

"Edward. You need to get home now. I'm sorry to rush you but... Edward something's happened. Edward we need you." Jasper said urgently in a grave tone that sent a wave of fear up Edward's spine, Bella's hand the only thing tethering him to his place. His foot pressing more firmly down onto the accelerator as the car lurched forward faster, the purr of the engine as he pushed it to its limit trying to eat up the time between where he was and his family.

"What is it? Has there been an attack? Did Alice see something?" Edward rushed out and Bella tried her best to stroke her fingers over Edward's cold rigged hand to calm him. She felt the fear too though that something had happened to her loved ones while they'd not been there to help them. Even if as a human she had no hope of protecting the people she loved and cared for.

"I... I don't know how to say. I'm sorry Edward." Edward could even hear a hitch to Jasper's tone that he wasn't used to, Jasper usually so well controlled with his emotions due to his talent he often gave nothing away accept for in his mind. Edward could feel the dread in his stomach only grow greater, as he turned to look at Bella the only calming influence he had now, knowing that beyond anything else that she was safe.

"I'm so sorry Edward. Sorry... It's Carlisle, Edward. The pack got him..."

Only the sound of shattering plastic and metal was heard in the silence as Edward's phone crumbled cutting off Jasper, the roar of Edward's car vibrating. His nostrils flared eyes coal black, he couldn't look at Bella but could smell her tears in the air. She knew. Just like he did, he'd cut Jasper off before he'd finished but Edward knew.

Knew what that meant. Edward hadn't needed Jasper to finish his sentence to know how that ended. He could already feel the twisted knot of agony forming like he knew without being told at all.

His father was dead.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N Hey everyone, I wanted to get this to you all earlier then I would have done so I'm forgoing sleep to spend time editing this chapter also writing helps chill me out after a tough week. I'm off today my time or tomorrow for most of you guys time zone so I'm hoping to get the finishing touches done on the next couple of chapters I've been writing, I've been really struggling around the chapters 24 and 25 but I'm hoping to get them complete and should I manage that tomorrow then perhaps there will be another chapter this week. Though I can't promise you guys anything but I really am going to try to get more to you, you've all be really supportive even those of you who feel I left you hanging with the same Cliff hanger for two chapters I do apologise for leaving you guys waiting but there was reason. Things need to happen in a certain way and order or else I'd have lots of mess that would be spotted and questioned by you guys and myself later on when things don't fit. So thank you all for being so great and patient with me believe me I'm looking forward to getting this all finished for you as I'm hoping you guys are to reading it all. Anyway let me know what you think and...**

 **Enjoy :)**

 **RED DAWN**

 **SUMMARY:** Edward had always warned Bella that the pack were dangerous. Hostile, volatile and aggressive in nature. She ignored him, testing even Edward's own vampire instinct by staying friends with his enemy, Jacob. One event will change them all, Bella never truly understood the supernatural world. Didn't understand the aggression that lay dormant even in her controlled mate until it was too late. Warning: Violence and Character death.

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the Characters.**

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 **Chapter Eighteen**

There would forever be moments in Edward's life that stayed with him. That moulded him, even more deeply than anyone would believe possible. Moments of substance and some of brief interactions with another soul in this world that shifted his very being drastically. Edward had always known deep within himself that there were many of these moments in his long existence. For all of the theories of change being impossible for his kind, except for in the rarest of times he'd never truly felt that to be true. He'd felt change in its subtleties and seen it countless times in his life, he'd seen the moment of change in many of his family members over their shared time together.

He'd witnessed the freedom of what had claimed purchase of Rose when she'd killed her attackers, he'd then watched her colder interior buckle under the very love of her mate. He'd watched a woman move past the death of her very own child and abuse of her husband to become a wife and mother to a new family in Esme. Edward had even seen the drastic change of a battle scarred warrior who had turned away from human blood and death which all he knew to repent against his past actions. Edward had seen change many times in his family and while he'd tried to deny any change possible in himself he'd known deep within there had been many times when change had been unavoidable.

While it was true the vampire kind were unyielding and repellent against any form of change his family had lived a much more adaptable life, to blend they'd learned behaviours strange to their kind. His family changed with the times constantly, with written word, spoken word, appearance, even the knowledge they carried. To blend amongst the human kind they'd submerged themselves in they had found a way to change, they'd found something other's of his kind did not find so easily. Edward had undergone those times of change.

He knew that he was experiencing one of those shifts in his very being right now, he knew this awakening of acceptance in both his mortal and immortal self were going to shape his future. Edward knew forever this day would be scarred into his body like the chewed marred teeth marks that covered his neck from his fight with a newborn.

Today the day he lost his father, would change him.

It would change him just as much as the bite Carlisle had delivered had.

It would change him as his rebellion had changed him.

It would change him as much as finally finding his mate.

It would change him as much as the day he decided to become both man and beast.

Those moments that had casted such an influence over his life, none would be so devastating to him though, even through the pain of the change. Even that moment when he turned away from both Carlisle and Esme in search of human blood. The moment he took his first human life for the sins they had committed. Charles Evanson, Esme's human husband. Still to this day he carries with him that memory of the man who caused her so much suffering and snubbing out that vile human's existence. Edward had always known his hunger to seek vengeance or revenge against those who harmed the people he loved would haunt him. Killing those who had hurt Bella was an almost second nature, had he not intended to kill all of those human men who had cornered her in Port Angeles that night so long ago. Had they even been able to lay a finger on her, that night would have ended differently, Edward knew that now more clearly then he knew anything else in his life.

Had even one touched a hair upon her head Bella would have seen firsthand the monster he'd tried to protect her from. Edward hungered for vengeance more than blood in the source of his victims.

He'd want that now too.

He'd barely even said a word since he'd crushed his phone in his hand ending the call from Jasper, Bella had watched him even though she'd felt the same fear. Both knew that this wasn't some simple conversation that had gone bad between the pack and Carlisle. Jasper would only sound like that for something that truly affected him. Jasper was always the epitome of controlled emotion. His gift allowed him that, he could hide his true feelings in most cases even when it felt like those emotions he shared in may buckle him. Jasper would somehow find the strength and will to push it away. Lessen the burden of other's even as he experienced it with them. Edward had heard the pain in Jasper's voice, Bella had heard it too and she knew that something awful had happened.

Tears were quick to come to her eyes, already emotional from the goodbye she'd shared with her mother she feared what had happened in Forks while she'd taken Edward from his family. The guilt was quick to come with the tears then too, had her own need to be with her mother taken Edward away when his family needed him. If the pack had hurt Carlisle there was no redeeming for them in her eyes, even despite his actions and the way he'd spoken to her. Carlisle was a kind and gentle man, a man who had outright tried to defend the pack and save them from a war his family wanted. If they'd hurt Carlisle there would be no room for peace, Bella knew that if her worst fears had come true that Edward wouldn't stop.

That the entire family wouldn't stop.

Edward was already enraged by them, if they'd taken his father from him too she knew it may break a part of Edward she'd never be able to fix.

That scared her more than anything.

"We don't know. We can't know. He might be fine" Bella felt herself trying to speak through her shaken and weak voice, trying to reach Edward. His grip looked so tight on the steering wheel and yet his hand in her own hadn't tightened at all, it was as cold and solid as stone as it sat in her lap unmoving.

"Edward please..." Bella found herself pleading with him to show some kind of response, his speeding was sending the car hurtling forward she couldn't believe the speed they were moving. Yet she trusted him enough to know they wouldn't crash, his need to protect her was strong she knew he'd never risk an accident and yet she felt scared as the outsides seemed to be nothing but blurs of grey, green and brown to her eyes.

"If they've touched him. If they've harmed him... I will take from them what they've taken from me. They would harm my mate, they would come for me and then they would target the one man in this world worthy of redemption from this life" Edward's tone was devoid of any emotion it was cold and lethal a calm whisper that seemed to caress Bella's ears and send the hairs on her very arm upright as she felt a shudder of fear ripple over her. It was the look in his eyes though, for all the struggles that Carlisle and Edward had been going through in recent how badly the relationship they had shared was tattered by the choices being made.

Edward loved Carlisle like a son loved a father, no Bella had to believe it was more than that. They shared something so deeply intimate and close she'd never seen a father and son so deeply linked then Carlisle and Edward.

They had been father and son.

Brothers.

Best friends.

Colleagues.

Teacher and student.

They had shared decades by each other's side, they'd both found joy when the other had finally found their mate. They had shared in each other every joy and hardship of this life, Bella knew losing Carlisle would haunt Edward. She'd known how deeply the confrontation was affecting them both, even though Edward tried to appear strong against it.

"We can't think like that Edward. We have to hope. We have to hope he's okay. That..." Bella lost the words in her mouth because she dreaded it, felt the twist of her stomach as the nausea built in her gut. The feeling that she may only hurt Edward more by giving him false hope then.

Time was finally gone though.

As the car lurched, and swiftly turned into the exit to the Cullen driveway and there a lone figure stood on the Cullen porch.

Jasper stood on the Cullen porch his head casted down as he leant against the wooden railing that wrapped around the elegant plantation like porch. Only when the car stopped did Jasper finally look up from the ground to set his eyes on the car, it was clearly written on his face. Bella sobbed into her hands seeing Jasper's twisted face in despair, the agony almost palpable and then the roar of complete agonized pain that swept past Edward's lips.

The next second Edward's hands viciously slammed into the dashboard.

It would have caused Bella to scream had she not somewhat expected it, his hands had buried themselves deep into the dashboard cleanly snapping and crushing it in. Plastic showered over them both in small shards and the airbags didn't even shift as they blew under Edward's forceful power. Bella hadn't been scared of him though, or what he'd done as she found herself unbuckling her seat belt and trying to move to Edward who had frozen then. She tried her best to cradle his head to her kissing his hair trying to ease his pain while she cried, Jasper moved then pulling open the door of Edward's now useless Volvo. Jasper and she shared one look, she could see that Jasper was struggling not only with his own pain but the pain he was experiencing from Edward too.

"He's gone"

Edward mumbled the words lifelessly his chest heaving forward then as he looked to Jasper, seeing inside his mind. Even as Jasper tried to shield Edward from what he'd seen, what the family had discovered a short time after Edward had left. Esme had gotten worried when Carlisle hadn't tried to contact her, then she'd done her best to reach him at the hospital to only find out he'd ended his shift during the night. It hadn't taken them long to find some trail, Jasper and the family had tried to convince Esme to let them find him. The strange ominous feeling of something being wrong making them feel the need to protect her from seeing anything. It had been Esme who had finally found him though, it had been Esme who had found his remains. Even now as Edward could see the flashes of images of the scene Jasper tightened his own resolve trying to force away, images of a brick wall appearing at the forefront of his mind then. Unshakable and firm, fuelling his own determination with his gift as he tried his best to lock out his brother. As he tried to protect Edward from the scenes of the clearing of the border line.

"You don't want to see that Edward. Don't look. Please don't" Jasper said as he reached into the car snapping the seat belt on Edward at the corner and taking hold of his firmly set shoulders looking to Bella.

"Let me get him out of the car Bella. He wouldn't ever hurt you but it make me feel a lot calmer knowing there is a little space" Jasper said softly as Bella found her arms weakly letting go of her distraught mate, her hands moving to cover her face as she tried to hide her own distress.

Jasper all but pulling Edward's unmoving body out from the car's drivers side removing the shattered steering wheel from out of the way throwing it aside.

"He's gone"

"I know. I know it hurts. Feels like you can't breathe around it but you need to control yourself. We don't get to grieve yet. We don't get to break do you hear me Edward" Jasper said gripping either side of Edward's head as he leant him back up against his car the only sound the soft sobs of Bella who was climbing out of the passengers side.

"Right now we have to be strong. Everyone else they can let this consume them but they need us. We've gotten this far and now we need to fight through it. If we falter now we'll lose everyone. You can't back down now" Jasper said evenly trying his best to level Edward, even if his words were filled with their own pain. With the agony barely being forced down.

Jasper could see it then the ripple of anger, that anger that came whenever someone lost a loved one. That deep anger that made you want to just scream up into the skies and demand answers. That pain that nothing could fix, that made you want to reach out and just break anything close. Jasper pulled Edward close hugging him tightly as Edward pressed his face into the crook of his brother's shoulders his fingers almost breaking into the back of Jasper's skin as he gripped tightly and yelled out only Jasper's shoulder muffling the sound.

Bella could only watch helplessly as Edward seemed to shatter before her very eyes, for all the times they had endured together he had been the one to hold them together. Now as he was breaking she didn't know how to fix this for him, wasn't sure how to be strong enough for him as she only watched him. His muffled cry of pain into Jasper's shoulder showing a side of their brotherly affection she'd never been present too before. She'd always seen the joking and teasing they'd shared in but now seeing that comfort that the two seemed to be yearning for and finding with each other was both heartbreaking and beautiful. She stood watching wiping at her own tears, the thought that Carlisle was dead still not completely settling inside of her. That somehow someone who was immortal was no longer alive. Then the thought of Esme, how this would hurt a woman she viewed as her a mother.

She cried harder then hiding her face from Jasper who looked to her as her pain heightened, Bella knowing this would destroy Esme. Her loving and maternal, second mother. How would she survive without Carlisle, how much her suffering must be now with what had happened? Bella felt any belief that the pack didn't deserve what was coming falling away in her distress and her own anger, forever was drastically changing. How could forever be the same without Carlisle there with them, his kind and gentle guidance to help them throughout their existence.

"She's still out there?" Edward said thinking of Esme pulling away from Jasper then and trying to distance himself from his gift, trying to make it so Jasper didn't suffer more with carrying both of their pain.

"She refuses to leave. The others wouldn't leave her alone. The scents are all over the place. I couldn't... it was too much. I had to contact you everyone else was..." Edward nodded as Jasper struggled to say what he wanted, the emotions had been too much and in trying to hold everyone else together he'd almost been brought to his knees under their pain, in the end he'd needed to contact Edward and escape from the deep torment they were all feeling.

"You'll stay with Bella" Edward said then looking to Bella standing her beautiful face stained with tears, eyes puffy from crying he moved to her pulling his mate into his arms and wanting to squeeze her so tight she'd become part of him but knowing he had to be gentle with her.

"No Edward we'll go togeth..." Edward cupped her cheek shaking his head, he could hear the protest in Jasper's mind too. His brother wishing to stand with Edward and the family, he'd told him he couldn't grieve yet and while Jasper felt guilty for it he was ready to stand by his word too. Stand together with Edward to help their family, he felt a coward hiding here at their home while the family were suffering.

"I don't want you to see him like that. I don't want you to see my father in the state he is now. Remember him alive. Remember him as he was Bella. For the both of us" Edward pressed his lips to her forehead turning to Jasper as he guided Bella to Jasper's side.

"We grieve later. That doesn't mean you have to suffer their pain right now. Prepare yourself though. I'll need you and that gift to help Esme. When I return with her you are to focus on her only, everyone else will bare their pain but Esme will not suffer this without our help" Edward said firmly, he'd need Jasper to take away her agony. He'd need Jasper's gift now more than anything with helping Esme through this devastating moment. For even though he suffered Edward knew his suffering was nothing compared to that of his heartbroken mother.

The pack would pay for this, there wasn't enough sorrow he could bring to them to make them feel equal in the pain they'd caused. He knew though he'd opened this door, he'd targeted Leah in a malicious and cruel attempt to hurt Sam. He'd done it for both need to protect his family and harm the pack. He'd made this personal, more personal then this fight had been to begin with. He'd made the target on those he'd loved even larger, that had been his mistake. He shouldn't have allowed them to run, should have tried to take advantage of the situation sooner. Like Emmet and Jasper had both said, waiting had brought this on them.

He'd failed them all, now not only had they lost Irina but they'd lost Carlisle. He wasn't sure how to fix that, if there even was a way to help his family heal from that kind of pain.

"Edward I should go with you" Jasper tried to argue and while he knew someone had to stay with Bella he didn't want to leave his family without his help. For all the good his gift could do for other's it was also in a way his own curse to be burdened by, feeling the emotions that all other's felt gave him no time to feel his own pain.

"You'll stay with my mate" Edward said with a finality behind his rasped tone, Bella couldn't help but feel like she'd watched a cold hard shell cover over Edward in that moment. Closing himself off from the pain, pushing it away she didn't agree with what Jasper had said they should both be allowed to grieve too. Not pushing it aside they were being fools to think they could just push it down and it not bubble up, hadn't they seen proof of forcing away feelings and hiding emotions.

"Edward please..." Bella reached her hand out to him, her words failing her under the distress and crying she just couldn't seem to say anything. She was failing him by not being strong enough to help him, she couldn't bear the thought of what he might have seen already from Jasper's thoughts or what he was about to see.

"I'll be back soon love" Edward said his eyes even as he tried to hold himself strong she could see the cracks of something inside of his eyes that was screaming to be let out of him. Edward turned from her gaze to look to Jasper nodding only once and then vanishing from her human sight, only Jasper's grip on her stopped her from falling to her knees once he was gone.

Edward ran from his home, the torment of his own thoughts and that of Jasper's chasing him he'd never be able to escape his own mind, his brothers grief, his own. He was going towards his entire families, he knew each and every one of them word be hurting, that this would be hard for them all. All while he carried shame within him, having to face the woman who had been his mother would be the hardest, his choices had brought so many complications for her and Carlisle, it had all but driven a wedge between them. Carlisle had died fearing him and disgusted by the things he'd done, his father who he loved was gone and he'd never be able to earn his forgiveness now. There would be no redeeming for him in his father's eyes, and now his mother would be the one left to carry the burden no immortal should feel.

The loss of her mate.

Edward's choice had brought them down this path, his mistakes and then attempts to fix them had brought them to this future where Carlisle no longer existed. He tried to cast his thoughts aside feeling selfish in thinking of himself and his need for forgiveness in his father's eyes when his mother would be suffering. Edward pushed on harder his feet leaving rough chunks of mud kicking up as he pushed himself more powerfully then he would normally run. There was no grace and fluid movements now he didn't glide over the forest floor barely leaving an impression now he burst through violently and all while still hoping beyond hope somehow he'd break through to the treaty line and find Carlisle still alive.

It wouldn't be what Edward would find though, as Edward broke into the clearing he could instantly smell the scent of wolves, scents mixed in that he wasn't sure he'd taken in before. Adult's, which had become part of the pack. It was the second lingering scents though, the sweet almost sickly plastic scent that lingered toxically after burning one of his kind.

Any scent of Carlisle was fading and fast with all the scents surrounding them now, his family turned to see him.

They stood in small pods clasped together but in a formation that seemed to be blocking him from going to Esme who he could see around gaps of his family members. Carmen was pressed tightly into Eleazer who both looked almost sickly in appearance the second Carmen set her eyes upon Edward turning into her mate and sobbing. Tanya and Kate both stood clasping each other's hands but a steely resolve of anger had clouded over both woman, both minds set. Enough had been enough and no longer would they be told to hold and wait, time for stalling was gone and they wanted revenge, they wanted blood.

For Irina, and for Carlisle.

Emmet was sobbing openly, the mountainous man who placed his very pride upon the safety of his family had never expected to ever lose one of them. This was not sitting well, there was nothing that could be said even as Rose tried now in her pain to comfort her openly sobbing mate there was no reaching him. Alice was the first to move to Edward she appeared almost trembling as she placed her hand out to stop Edward from going forward.

"Don't. Edward you don't need to see this" Alice pleaded but Edward's resolve only tightened firmly as he took Alice's hand and moved it to her side and stepped around her. Edward needed to see this, he had to face this. There was no interruption of him then as they parted there wall of bodies and Edward moved slowly past them.

Esme faced away from him, her back to him, completely still as she sat on her knees, both legs crumpled under her body she didn't make a sound, didn't move an inch.

Her mind did enough.

Edward could hear it like the faintest of whispers. She would have been silenced by the other's thoughts was Edward not focussed only on her, the silent whispered plea that shattered him. Edward froze on his step as his anger filled him again, his need for action and yet he had to push it down because his mother needed him now. She needed him more then he needed blood, and for all Edward's failings to Carlisle he would not fail him now.

Edward would not leave his father's mate in need, he'd not fail Esme. He'd do everything in his power to do that for Carlisle now. Edward moved behind her and she had still not noticed him, too deeply buried in her own mind it seemed, buried in a way that made her almost as silent as his own mate. Shock he had to believe, though he'd never believed a vampire capable of it. His stomach churned though once he finally looked over his mother's shoulder to see what sit in her lap. Edward chewed on his lip then biting into it and feeling the cracks of his own flesh and venom pour over his lip as he looked up into the sky. His hands cracking under his own strength, while they bawled into tight fists at his side.

They'd burned his father's body.

They'd burned every part of him and left the ashes there.

They had burned every part of what had once been one of the greatest men in Edward's life, all the parts but his head.

They'd left Carlisle's lifeless head there for his family to find.

Edward couldn't pull his mind or his eyes from it now though as he looked at what had become of his father. His once handsome face was sagged the skin no longer looking unyielding but like it was beginning the process of decay even if that was impossible. There were deep cracks and marks from teeth scattered over his face, chunks of flesh missing completely. They'd placed something in his father's parted mouth and Edward could only feel the fury rise inside of him. They'd placed a rat in his father's open mouth, he wasn't sure if this was a kind of slander against Carlisle himself or the diet he'd lived by his entire existence. The pack had wanted to hurt them, they'd disrespected and dishonoured a man, honourable and noble who had stood for his beliefs even when it had placed him at odds against his own son.

Edward felt his fingers uncoil as he tried to calm himself, reaching out and placing his hand upon his mother's shoulder and finally she became aware of his presence, of everyone's around her. As if his touch had dragged her back from the brink of her sanity, he'd wished he'd not touched her as the wail that left her lips made him lurch.

"I can't give you what you most want. I can't take the pain away not completely, let me take this burden mother. Let me give him rest, let your family take care of you now" Edward said as he turned to look behind him nodding towards Tanya and Kate who both slowly approached. Edward knew she would struggle, he knew his own family would not have the strength to force Esme away from the only remains of her husband and mate.

"No. I can't leave him Edward. He's still in there. He's not gone, we can fix it. We can fix it" Esme cried out widely shaking her head while her hands clung to Carlisle's head on her lap. There was no bringing him back though, his body burned and his head so badly destroyed there wasn't any way of his survival. If he was still somehow locked away in his own mind Edward could not hear it and Edward knew there was no true way of unlocking that.

Carlisle was gone.

"I'm so sorry mother" Edward whispered as he moved behind her wrapping his arms around her and then lifted her body as her grip fell from Carlisle lifeless head. Edward continued to apologise into his mother's ear as she became ferial and wild in his grip, snarling and kicking against his grips nails scoring into his arms as she tried to force herself free from Edward.

"No. Not my Carlisle. I hate you. I'll hate you forever. Don't do it don't take him from me Edward. Please" Esme begged between hysterical rage and fear, Tanya and Kate both taking her struggling form from Edward.

"Come on Esme let's go home. We can help you" Tanya said but even Edward could see from Tanya's mind she didn't believe her words, she didn't know if there was a single thing they could offer her that would fix these wounds.

"Edward you can't. He's your father. Don't, he's not dead Edward you have to see. Hear his thoughts he's still in there Edward please he's still in there" Esme begged reaching out to Edward in her hysteria believing he was the only one of them that could truly tell her that there was still hope, in Edward she believed he'd somehow be able to give her back Carlisle. It broke his heart that he'd be the one to effectively shatter his own mother.

"He's gone Esme. Carlisle is gone. There is nothing there. I'm sorry" Edward said softly cupping his mother's face in his hands refusing to turn around and look at his father's lifeless remains. There was no thoughts, there was nothing, Carlisle was gone from this world. Edward watched as his mothers face crumbled and then fell limp into Tanya and Kate's hold and cried, heartbreaking sobs of grief. The most devastating of pains, that of the loss of your mate.

"Take her home. Take her home and place her in her bedroom. I'll be back soon and Jasper and I will... the family needs. Esme needs us to be strong now" Edward looked from his own family and that of the Denali.

"Edward you can't be planning on going out there alone" Alice said her own hysteria growing now, where she'd believed perhaps her visions were starting to see around the blackness this had sent her into a tailspin of self doubt.

The very thought of Edward going alone across that border seemed a very likely possibility to her and she couldn't bear it if her angry stubborn brother decided to do that. All while knowing that if he chose to hunt the pack down now they'd have no hope of stopping him, she feared that only more of her family would be lost now.

"No. Not yet. The pack and I will face soon. I have to..." Edward turned away from Alice and his family as he could still hear the distant sounds of Esme screaming and struggling against Kate and Tanya.

Slowly moving towards his father's remains and looking down at the lifeless face of the man he'd most respected and wanted to impress. He'd died not knowing that even in his anger Edward still loved him, that despite all they'd been through in the last recent months he still would have given anything to have his father at his side.

Edward's siblings remained silent then as they watched Edward briefly place a kiss on Carlisle's forehead and then place his head down upon the grey ash. They watched with silent anger and sorrow as Edward was forced to remove the dead rat from Carlisle's mouth and as he flung it clear across the clearing viciously. They watched with helplessness as Edward pulled from his pocket a lighter, and ignited the only remains of the man who had been a father to them all for decades.

To some of them their creator.

Edward sat silently watching with a mask of emptiness, void of any emotion on his face, only his eyes ablaze with an inferno as harsh as the one before him. He didn't turn his eyes away from the burning face of his father, even when his siblings could no longer remain and they left. Edward forced himself to watch every single part of his father's image slowly crumble under the flames that roared over his face. Edward remained alone with his father's ashes, silently cupping his hands together in prayer and closing his eyes to the world and inclining his head towards the sky. Even then as he struggled to keep hold of his faith he knew Carlisle to be a man of greater faith then he. Edward calmly reciting the Lord's Prayer from memory in the form that Carlisle had been most fond of from his time as a human, his past within the Anglican Church.

"Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven..." Edward said so softly that as each word passed from his lips and he struggled around his own grief of his father's death.

The words he spoke became nothing more than a silent movement on his lips, the light breeze collecting up Carlisle's ashes and blowing it across the clearing. Even then though as he spoke the word of the bible Edward knew it would not change his choice, even when he knew that his father would still not wish for other's to be harmed because of what had been done to him. Edward would fail Carlisle in that way, he could only hope that he'd find redemption in his father's eyes by caring for his mother. He could not save the pack from himself now. There was no hope to build bridges. Carlisle had gone to them for some reason, he'd turned from his own family and gone to meet the pack alone.

He'd trusted them and they'd betrayed him and killed him, left him disrespected and dishonoured, for the woman who loved him to find. Edward would seek out each one of those men involved, he'd end them.

"Amen" Edward finished silently before turning to the approaching sound of thoughts on the edges of his mind. The surprise and shock making him shakily rise from his feet.

"Bella" Edward croaked out when he saw her come through the tree line first, her ever silent mind blocked to him but that scent and familiar heartbeat all too ingrained in his very being. He moved to her then catching her and pulling her warm petit body against him, pressing his lips into the crook of her neck as she clung to the back of his hair tightly as he held her off her feet.

Silently standing watching with a sombre smile a stocky brunette male, he stood no taller than six feet in height but had an impressive set of broad shoulders that gave him a somewhat imposing physique. While not nearly as built as Emmet he stood with a confidence that held somewhat of the same mischief behind it. His skin was even paler then most others of his kind a tone that looked like a china doll in colour, a thick jaw and a jagged scar down his jaw and under his chin. Edward turned his face up from Bella's neck and tuned to look at the thoughts that had invaded his mind as he looked to his friend, perhaps the first friend he'd ever made in this life outside of his family.

Xavier.

"I hope you don't mind fella. She was all in a tizzy and well. I've always had a soft spot for pretty eyes" Xavier said in his heavy English accent, and while his tone of voice was teasing and light his mind said everything else.

" _I'm here Edward. Whatever, you need. Whoever, you need. Justice brother, just like the old days. Bring the justice where justice is forgotten"_ Xavier said in his mind, nodding with an iron willed determination in his eyes. Edward only returning his nod firmly. Xavier had taken to the way of hunting that Edward had introduced him to all those years ago with a great passion. Even in those early days it had seemed to awaken something inside of Xavier. A man who as a human had believed the world was filled with far too many crooks and criminals' then good honest people.

"You aren't alone" Edward said as he placed Bella down on her feet and Bella took his hand grateful to be back at his side, she'd been eager to come to Edward and when Xavier had surprisingly arrived before the rest of the family had returned. She'd been willing to trust Edward's once friend with getting her to him without any trouble.

"Ah... Forgotten how bloody annoying that shit was. I'm sure you'll make up for lost time. You'll have to excuses the missus she's a little wary. Rochelle, get your ass over here and meet Eddie" Edward watched as Xavier extended his hand out towards him and while he could see the woman's thoughts he was shocked to see her seem to slowly materialize against a tree and then reach out to take Xavier's hand.

She was gifted, shared a talent that was very similar to one of the guards within the Volturi, Afton.

It seemed though that Rochelle needed to be in contact with an object to blur herself against it unlike Afton's gift of completely making himself invisible to his surroundings.

"I apologise" Rochelle said plainly though he could see from her mind that she wasn't, she was a slightly skittish vampire that had spent a long life submerged and hidden from the eyes of others.

She liked her isolation, she'd been changed when she had been enslaved and brought to America to be sold most likely to a plantation. A vampire had taken a likening to her and changed her, not expecting her to have a gift she'd managed to escape his desires. Rochelle which was a name she'd chosen in the last decade to make it more acceptable then the one she'd all but forgotten amongst the change. Rochelle was a tall and slender woman with shortly cropped hair, her skin had been lightened which gave her an alluring caramel like tone. While she was wary of anyone else she seemed overly eager to take hold of Xavier's hand as she stood even taller then he at his side.

"Seems we've both found an old ball and chain since out time travelling together. Guess we all have to settle down eventually though right? This is my mate Rochelle. Rochelle this is the man who taught me the way we hunt, Edward" Edward found it highly ironic that Xavier considered the way he now fed from his previous way a lifestyle in on itself, even more so that he considered it one of Edward's creation.

"I've heard much of you. Many stories he has shared of your short time together. Had I not known of my mates appreciation of the female form I may have been concerned" Rochelle said with a biting quick wit that had Bella giggling even despite the situation at the rolled eyes of Xavier.

"I am sorry for your loss. We only received word yesterday through your brother, we came as quickly as we were able" Rochelle offered softly while she'd not at first been overly happy about the thought of getting involved with other's problems she knew she owed this vampire much. He'd saved her mates life long before they'd found each other, had also given them both a way to tolerate the hunger and killing in this life. Xavier and Rochelle both took to the hunting of the human wrong doers very happily, while they didn't have the skills Edward did to find those guilty they'd taken to finding them almost like detectives. Solving unsolved cases and then executing their own brand of punishment.

"I'm thankful that you would stand with my family" Edward said but he could see both had found a resolve in standing and fighting when they'd seen the return of Esme. Her frantic struggle and wailing had made them both fearful of that pain and both wished to right the wrong done upon the woman.

"You've met my mate, Bella" Edward looked from Xavier to Bella reaching up and wiping a tear from off her cheek, her eyes heartbreakingly sad and while he couldn't cry he knew he would if he were able. This pain was like a festering infection in his heart that he didn't know how to remove. He'd carry this pain for as long as he was to be allowed to live.

"Yes we've had the pleasure of meeting your human mate. Gotta say almost laughed my damn socks right off seeing that. No offense to you sweetheart" Xavier directed to Bella then smiling a little towards Edward.

"This motherfucker couldn't do anything without the biggest deal being made about it. Bet he's been a right boar to deal with, all that brooding shit I told him. A gothic novel that works a treat, Bram Stoker would have loved him. The real world though, well it's not all that bad" Xavier hissed a little when Rochelle elbowed him, her mind thinking that it was wrong to joke about Edward's attitude even more so when he'd just had to burn the remains of his sire. While they weren't all caught up it seemed Jasper had given them enough information when they'd been alone before the rest had arrived and Xavier had offered to get an increasingly upset human back to her mate.

"Sorry Edward. Me and my big mouth right" Xavier said awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck as Edward shook his head not offended by him, while it had been a long time he knew Xavier well enough from his past to know it wasn't intended to be meant with harm. He spoke before he thought, in some respects he and Emmet were very similar.

"While I'd like to speak with you both. I really must get back to my family. Esme will need..." Edward felt Bella squeeze his hand as he struggled with it, her screams and pleading still very much on his mind.

"You are more than welcome to come back. I know it can be uncomfortable but right now we'll need to stick together. My mother will need me though, she just lost her mate. My sire" Edward said clearing his throat even if it was unneeded and Xavier couldn't help but standing forward and placing his hand on Edward's shoulder. He'd remembered many of the talks they had shared together, how much Edward had respected and loved his parents, not only the human ones but the immortal ones that he'd had in this life.

How guilty he'd felt in the last days they'd shared together, the fear Edward had carried of them turning him away when it had become too much. When Edward had been unable, to even feed for his agony and guilt over all the killing even when it had been the scum of the human world.

"We're here. Just tell us where you need us mate and we've got your back. I told you a long time ago, you only needed to call and I'd be there for you" Xavier said seriously as Bella smiled at the amusing British vampire that she found herself curious of, she was very much interested to learn about the time they had shared together.

"I need to get Bella home" Edward said looking to his mate tenderly, also wishing to have a moment alone with her. Just to hold her close and reassure himself that she was okay, the loss of Carlisle making him feel the need to assure himself that his own mate was perfectly safe.

"I won't be going home Edward" Bella said shaking her head completely refusing the idea of being separated from him or any of the Cullen family, not now. Not when everything had happened, she wouldn't abandon her family during this time, they'd always stood by her side in the past. She needed to show them now they could rely on her too. Esme her mother in this supernatural world would need them all.

"You can argue all you like but it won't change anything. I'm your mate, this is my family. Esme is my mother too and Carlisle. He was a father too me. I won't leave you all alone and go home and pretend everything is okay. I'm not leaving your side, I'm your fiancée. Your partner we do this together or not at all" Bella said strongly as Edward looked at her and while he wanted to protest, didn't really want to send her away, he'd need her. He'd only wanted to protect her from what she may hear from Esme. He knew there was a chance Esme may still react angrily towards him like she had in the clearing, that she may need someone to channel her anger and hate and that he may be the person she decided to channel that anger towards. He was ready for it, he knew it may come.

"Take it from a man that knows. When the lady says something. Usually best to listen, I learnt the hard way" Xavier said using his hand to cover his mother from Bella even as his eyes widened comically and she smiled towards him. She was certainly beginning to see how Edward would have attached himself to this male, of all the nomad vampires who her lonely and guilt ridden mate had found this man in his struggle and befriended him.

"Believe me Xavier it can get much harder" Rochelle said with a grin on her full lips as she moved to Xavier's side and took his hand firmly in her own turning to look between Edward and Bella.

"Your mate has spoken. While I do not know much of a family. Loyalty and friendship are important. You say we stick together I agree. We will stand by your side Edward Masen" Rochelle said in her accented English with a determination that Edward respected, even though she was wary and concerned of the numbers she'd found herself around she'd stand with her mate and the man he saw as a friend to avenge the wrongs done against him. He'd not even felt the need to correct her on his name.

"I won't rush you. Though I'd appreciate us having a talk at some point. Jasper the scarred one. Made a mention of feeding on animals while we stay, while I understand this is your home I was wondering if I could persuade you. I see you have red eyes so I was..." Xavier stopped as he saw the look on Edward's face, the dark menacing glare that made Rochelle reach out and pull her mate closer to her. Edward's anger coming from irrational places, the thought of someone dishonouring Carlisle's home further by feeding on humans. He wouldn't allow it even for a friend.

"It's okay Edward calm down" Bella soothed stroking her hand over his chest as it rumbled slightly, he inhaled deeply trying to calm himself he knew it hadn't been anything he shouldn't have expected.

"I'm sorry" Edward said through his husky tone as he exhaled through his flared nostrils.

"While I don't expect you to feed from animals indefinitely I will not be able to give you any leniency. This is my family's home, our territory. We do not feed from humans. My father would protect these lands and I intend to continue saving the lives of the humans. Those who have crossed my family however I can't offer the same protection and forgiveness he would have. My eyes are red for taking the lives of those who would hurt my loved ones" Edward said deeply turning to Bella and tenderly stroking his thumb along her marked face. He could see that these both answered the curious questions of why Bella was scarred in a way like that, it had been on both immortals minds once meeting her.

"My father may have passed from this world but we are still the Cullen coven and this territory is ours. No human lives will be taken for feeding, if you feel you cannot stay under these rules I understand" Edward said turning back to look at Rochelle and Xavier as he shook his head towards Edward disappointed that he'd angered his friend. He'd known better then try and approach such a conversation, especially when there was more important things then his hunger for human blood.

"I'm sorry Edward. We will stay, I'm sure we can tolerate the diet for a time at least while we stand with your family. Think no more on it, I hear vegetarian diets are good for you anyway" Xavier tried to make light of it but knew not to push the issue, he knew better than many that Edward had a very lethal fighting style he didn't intend on practicing against other then friendly anyway.

"We all appreciate it" Bella said speaking up for Edward then, smiling to Rochelle who looked increasingly concerned and wary now. She had not enjoyed the anger that had flared in Edward but knew that this man was one Xavier still viewed as a friend. She understood grief did many things to a person. There was always just as much anger as pain in mourning.

"Let's go back home Edward" Bella whispered only for him even though she knew both Xavier and Rochelle would be able to hear her, Bella tip toed up pressing her lips under his tense jaw.

"Let's help our family" Bella said trying to do her best to show Edward that he could rely on her and that she could be strong for him now, so he could then in turn be strong for his family. Even despite all the dangers that had surrounded them, neither had ever expected to be faced with such loss. They'd lost a father and a leader, taking charge wasn't even a choice anymore for Edward, he'd need to take that place now to hold his family together in their grief.

He hoped the pack were ready, because he was coming and he would bring untold violence and devastation upon them.

The pack were going to suffer, he swore that upon his father's ashes.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N Hey everyone, I hope all of you are doing well I wanted to get this chapter up last week but there seemed to be problems with the site and so I decided to keep this chapter until I was sure you'd all get this. I did want to say thank you all once again we've hit and gone past five hundred reviews. It felt like only a few chapters ago I was telling you all how amazing it was to hit two hundred and there you all go blowing me away with even more support. You guys really are amazing and it's always great to read what you all think even when it's things that haven't met exactly what you wanted. I have to admit seeing how I've been able to turn all of you against the pack has been very amusing for me, perhaps I'm evil but seeing that no mercy and unforgiving hatred makes me laugh. I was never a big fan of the pack and Jacob and it was why I warned all those who were fans of the pack that this story may not be for them. Seeing as I've slowly turned you against not only the pack but characters that are adored and even loved is very cool, that you are all so deeply immersed in this story that you are seeing characters we all know in a different light under my own control. I know many of you were shocked by the death of Carlisle and I know many of you weren't or wanted to hope it wouldn't happen I can only say that in times of war there are casualties on both sides. Carlisle even though older and in most respects a good man was misguided and held onto his beliefs where he needed to change. If you all take away anything from my story it's that the idea of never being able to change leaves you vulnerable. The old words adapt or die were very much in mind during the writing of this story. I'd like to say things are going to get easier for you but I've got some sharp turns coming guys so hold in there with me, the road isn't getting any smoother...**

 **Enjoy :)**

 **RED DAWN**

 **SUMMARY:** Edward had always warned Bella that the pack were dangerous. Hostile, volatile and aggressive in nature. She ignored him, testing even Edward's own vampire instinct by staying friends with his enemy, Jacob. One event will change them all, Bella never truly understood the supernatural world. Didn't understand the aggression that lay dormant even in her controlled mate until it was too late. Warning: Violence and Character death.

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the Characters.**

* * *

 **Chapter Nineteen**

"We must have been on the outer skirts of Romania when we crossed them. This side of the world they're all but none existent but in Europe and some isolated areas in Asia they still exist. We'd had no idea and then that bloody almighty roar. Sounded like some kind of demon had crawled up from hell itself" Xavier continued as he leant forward talking amongst the other's who had remained downstairs once Edward had arrived.

Bella had been left with the rest of her family while Edward had gone to join both Jasper and Rosalie. No other's had gone to follow Edward once he'd arrived but it was clear there had been some kind of verbal spat between Edward and Rosalie which had made Emmet flinch towards the stairs only to be stopped by both Kate and Tanya. The two sisters had taken to guarding that staircase, whatever it was that was being said or done upstairs.

Edward had made it clear no one was to interrupt them.

Bella had been curious but she'd assumed and trusted that he was doing everything he could to help Esme. Bella had been scared, that her return to the Cullen house would have been welcomed by the sounds of Esme's cries. The pleading screams, that she'd heard before Xavier and Rochelle had decided to go find Edward, were still ringing in her ears. The hysterical yelling as Esme had all but forced Kate and Tanya to manhandle her towards the house under Edward's orders. Esme's screaming of hate towards Edward had been the deciding factor on trusting both Xavier and Rochelle. She couldn't bear to think how Edward had handled hearing such things from Esme. A woman he'd seen for many years as his mother, even if she said it only in grief she knew it would still hurt him.

He'd seemed guarded though, even when he'd seen his old friend he'd been very much held tightly. Once again, Bella found herself angered by Jasper's advice and guidance of forcing away their grief until later. It wasn't how she believed Edward or any of her family should deal with the devastating loss of Carlisle.

"We'd decided to keep travelling through, but I'd been curious by the sound and Edward had told me that only death would meet us there" Xavier continued his story, he'd taken instantly to trying to distract the family that remained downstairs with stories of his time with Edward.

Stories that Bella, was confident she wasn't the only one to be unaware of. It seemed that while it had been Edward's rebellious period he'd never shared, even with his siblings what those years had entailed for him. Xavier wasn't one to shy away from it however, Bella was thankful for his subtle attempts at helping keeping the families thoughts from what had happened.

"Children of the Moon" Xavier said finally.

It was no secret that it seemed the charismatic British vampire could tell a story, he'd garnered most of the attention from all in the room. His usually silent mate Rochelle, now sat beside him her hand pressed into his back as he spoke of stories she'd listened to hundreds of times now. Even despite the circumstance it pleased her greatly, that sparkle that had been awoken in her mate's eyes. She'd always humoured his story telling of his time travelling with the guilt ridden vampire that hunted the evil of the human world. Through each of his stories it had been clear that Xavier from the moment that Edward had saved his life had looked to the young man as a somewhat hero. Xavier had always been happy to sing the glory of this strange man, Rochelle was still unsure of this Edward but she would stand with her mate. She knew this had meant much to him being called upon by the man who saved his life, like he would finally be able to show his worth to the man who had given him life.

It was peculiar but she didn't question it, her mate was a different man then many of the vampire kind that she'd ever known.

"I had thought Caius had them all destroyed in Europe" Eleazer spoke out then while Bella looked between her family and that of the Denali slightly confused. She'd never heard the term children of the moon before.

"You can't destroy something like that completely. While it's true the Volturi did a real stand up job of dwindling the numbers you're talking about a creature that for most parts doesn't exist but for more than a night a month." Bella was beginning to believe that she understood what they were talking about but still wasn't completely sure what it was. She could see that all of the Cullen's seemed in the know of what Xavier was talking about, Eleazer seemed extremely intrigued by Xavier's story.

"Children of the Moon?" Bella spoke up.

"Ah I forget your knew to the terms our world carries. I guessed our boy Eddie would have shared" Xavier turned to Bella with an easy smile.

"Werewolves" Carmen said then for Bella as Xavier pointed over his shoulder with a grin and pointing his other finger to his nose making a sound of a game show buzzer.

"I thought that the..." Bella found herself stopping as she was about to make mention of the La Push tribe and the pack, she'd always just assumed they were what was considered a werewolf. Even some of the pack themselves referred to themselves in that manor, Bella didn't feel right saying their name now though in Esme's house especially after what they had done. It made her feel that same familiar tightness over her chest and eyes sting.

"The pack, aren't true werewolves. They're shifters. Something else" Alice said as she moved closer to Bella's side and taking her hand into her own, the mood shifting instantly in the room.

"Good news at that from what I'm hearing too" Xavier said butting back in trying to cut the tension away.

"Why would you say that?" Eleazer said with a furrowed brow, his tone was light and truly showing interest in whatever it was that Xavier had to say. Bella had noticed the curious glances that Eleazer had been fixing on the two newcomers, his gaze lingering more so on Rochelle. She secretly mused and wondered if he'd used his gift yet or if he was just naturally suspecting that one of them was talented in some way, Bella having already seen Rochelle's gift work. Though Edward hadn't seemed overly fooled by it, Jasper had been though or perhaps he'd been too focussed on keeping a red eyed male from Bella first to concern himself with anyone he may not have seen. Edward had addressed it instantly.

"You've never come across one in person then" Xavier said matter of fact, which Eleazer agreed to the statement and Xavier chuckled darkly. Bella was still very much interested in the story that Xavier had been sharing of his and Edward's time travelling through Europe, she wondered why he'd never made mention of crossing one of these Children of the Moon.

"Well as I said Edward wanted to keep moving. Seemed pretty damn adamant that if we didn't keep going we might not survive the night. I'm a curious guy, couldn't help myself. So I started moving towards the sound, Edward while bitching the whole way followed. Tell you seeing them, watching them change it made even me feel scared. Not much in this world I haven't seen now, but watching a human make the change to a true child of the moon is awful. It's painful, it's slow and they suffer. They don't call it a curse for no reason. You can hear every bone break and muscle rip as they undergo it. Then once it's over, they aren't human anymore. Edward could only see basic thought images, said it was how he'd imagine an animal would actually think. The second those things stopped the change they caught onto our scents. Two large children of the moon had to have stood both of them about eight feet tall on their hind legs, looked more like monsters then wolves. They started at us. Edward barely shoved me out of the way as one came through the tree line." Xavier said and while his eyes were wide with his story and the images that the night brought back to him there was an air of fear to his tone. Bella found herself grateful she'd never known of these creatures and that they weren't something that existed in this part of the world.

"They hunted you?" Emmet asked finally breaking his own silence since his attempt to move up stairs to stop whatever argument Rose and Edward were likely having earlier.

"Boy, did they. We were lucky, Edward was furious with me. We used everything we had, jumping to put large distances between us and using high ground and trees to submerge ourselves. They're faster than any vampire I've seen even Edward couldn't keep clear ahead of them. Strong as a fucking train too. I tried to take a swipe at one when it got to close smacked me clear fifty feet" Xavier shook his head with a chuckle though Rochelle however did not look amused by his story of being harmed by a child of the moon.

"Fascinating. Well you and Edward clearly got away from the two of them. Very, fascinating. Caius still to this day is terrified of them. It was why he and Aro put together the plans to have their kind destroyed" Eleazer sighed shaking his head with a hint of admiration of what Xavier had seen during his time travelling the world.

"Not as fascinating as speaking to the poor guys after the next morning. Chased us clear into Russia they did and come morning Edward stopped us and then turned right back around. He'd seen that they were making the change back in their thoughts and we'd thought to end them then while they were weak" Xavier said this time Bella noticed the strange look that Carmen and Eleazer shared at his comment on Edward deciding to end the children of the moon that had hunted them, a look of concern.

"You destroyed them once they had changed back to humans?" Carmen spoke this time.

"No. My mate and Edward allowed those men chance to walk away" Rochelle spoke up having seen the look the two shared. She knew the way of these vampires was strange. She'd expected that her mate Xavier and Edward would have killed those men when she'd first heard the story, she wouldn't have been concerned had he decided to kill creatures that had hunted them.

"We had no idea why they hunted us. Edward saw from the moment we found them they didn't remember. They remember flashes but barely anything, when they'd seen us. They knew what we were expected we'd kill them. I'd been ready too. Something like that you don't give it a second chance to come hunt you. Edward had said they were innocent. At least as men they were innocent. He couldn't punish men for the acts of a curse they couldn't control, any deaths they had caused he couldn't punish them for because they had no idea. They'd purposely placed themselves so far away from life to at least prevent accidents. Edward respected that, we went our separate ways" Xavier said and Bella couldn't help but wonder if Edward had seen in them something of himself. During that time when he'd truly believed he was a monster had he spared those children of the moon hoping one day he'd be spared for his actions because of his monster?

"It was why the Volturi hunted them so thoroughly. Especially after Caius almost meeting his end at the hands of one of these creatures. On the full moon they are stronger and faster than any one vampire. It's why they were hunted down in groups and often during those times when outside of a full moon. It's hard to track a child of the moon while they are human but not impossible" Eleazer said while filling in for some of the questions that seemed to have been predicted by the once guard of the Volturi. While Eleazer had always been intrigued by other creatures that were part of the supernatural world he'd been fortunately sparred from hunting down Children of the Moon. His gift had saved him from that duty, it might have also saved his life. He'd lost many friends due to the hunting and destroying of the true werewolves.

Rosalie still stood across from Edward glaring at him, her mind still throwing hurled insults in his direction he didn't care what her opinion was of him. Edward only cared about keeping Esme in any type of comfort he could offer, he'd heard thoughts like these before when Rosalie didn't agree with something. He could deal with that, he didn't want Esme to have to deal with the pain that she was suffering. Edward had returned and made it clear that no one was to interfere, he'd not had the heart to refuse Rose her place. Perhaps on some mental level he'd known she'd protest and there in he'd been welcoming of her presence simply for her to play devil's advocate against his choices. To challenge him when he doubted anyone else would at this time, Jasper was sat in the chair to Esme's left.

He looked physically in pain, his eyes were slightly glazed his hand extended and holding Esme's wrist. Using the connection of touch to better channel his gift, Edward had not wanted to do this to either of them but he'd had no choice. At least no choice he could think that would save his mother her pain.

"If you can't take it away Jasper I want her to feel nothing at all. Do you understand me brother, I want her to feel absent of anything" Edward had said in his firm tone, Jasper looking to Edward concerned. Both knew that while he'd been using his ability to try and sooth the pain Esme was in he'd by no means used the full force of his ability. Jasper very rarely went to those degrees of his gift. Feeling detached himself from the reality he was surrounded by in going that deep into manipulating ones emotions, what Edward was asking would take more focus then he'd exerted in decades before.

"This is wrong. You'd turn her into a shell to save yourself facing her anger towards you" Rose snarled then forcing herself into the conversation that her brothers shared.

"Silence" Edward spat back at her in a growl.

"No. You think because Jasper and Alice see you as a leader I'm just going to do as you say. This is wrong Edward. Taking it all away from her is wrong. What do you expect to do, make Jasper keep her empty for eternity? She has to deal with this. Face it so she can move past this pain" Rose argued and Edward refused to listen to her because he didn't believe there was any place in which one could move past the loss of their mate, eternity was a punishment when faced with it alone. He knew that.

"There is no moving past this Rosalie" Edward snarled which only made the whimpering inside of Esme's bedroom deepen, Edward looking to Jasper and nodding firmly.

Jasper moved towards the bedroom then looking grime at the idea of what he was to do, Rose moved to stop Jasper but found herself restrained forcefully against the adjacent wall. Edward gripping both of her arms to her sides, and forcing himself there in her very view so she could not see into the room. He could hear the moment Emmet realised what he was doing. Then saw the second Kate and Tanya made it clear that they'd put him down before letting him come to interfere, both woman angered enough and ready to follow Edward's earlier instructions. Emmet would be angry at him but Edward had no intentions of harming his sister, even as her mind flinched at his force and the memories of the newborn ripping those arms that now Edward held from her body.

It rattled Rose how still she was carrying that fear, even while knowing her brother Edward wouldn't try to destroy her. Edward while he knew was wrong in this could only think of this way to talk with Esme without her grief being her main response, Edward held Rose in place until he heard the detached sounds of Jaspers mind telling him it was done. Edward seeing the almost emptiness of Esme's mind as she began to only see in images. The ceiling above her the only thing her mind seemed to be able to focus on in that moment.

"Ask me Rose. Ask me why there is no moving past this?" Edward said calmly even as he kept Rose pressed back against the wall looking into her eyes. Fiery and determined still even when she'd moments before been rocked by the shock and fear of having her limbs detached again.

"You're a selfish asshole" Rose spat angrily shaking her head as Edward released her grip. Pushing her hands away from him as if disgusted by her very sight then as he turned his back on her.

"You've never been faced with losing Emmet. You've never felt that fear. The despair. Once upon a time my sister selfishly told me my mate had died without even thinking of the consequences of such a thing being said without care. It drove me to wanting to die. Drove me to seek out my destruction. I had no proof that her words were true but hearing it alone made my choice" Edward paused in the doorway of Esme and Carlisle's once master bedroom, then turning to look behind him as the words hit home with Rosalie.

"Esme has seen he's gone Rose. Our mother knows there is no hope that he will come back to her. I'm selfish to want to take away her pain. You call me selfish but at least call me selfish for the right reasons. I'm selfish because I cannot bear the thought of seeing her plans for her death over and over again. The second her feelings come back all she will want is her end Rosalie. Are you ready to give her what she most wants now?" Edward asked pointedly seeing that his words were sitting heavy on Rosalie now as she realised what it was Edward was seeing in Esme's thoughts.

"She wants to die?" Rose said weakly looking at Edward her eyes feeling the sting of venom in them as if wanting to cry but being incapable, the curse of being what they were.

"From the moment I walked back into this house it's all she's asked for. Every second since I have arrived she has pleaded with me in her mind for mercy. For me to give her the escape I myself begged for when faced with a life without Bella. She's asked for my permission to be destroyed. What do I tell her Rosalie? How do I tell her what to do when either way it breaks our family? I force her to live and she will be a shell of her former self. If I allow her destruction our family may never recover" Edward finished finally glad that in the depths of numbness that Jasper had Esme wrapped around she seemed completely unaware of anything that had been said outside of her room. So deeply encased was she in the full power of Jaspers gift she seemed almost like in a drug haze that human minds experience. Edward however hadn't expected how deeply it would affect Jasper himself while using his power to this degree.

The four of them had then since remained silent, sitting together in the room even with Rosalie's somewhat understanding of Edward's reasons she still wasn't okay with it. Even more so with each passing moment and the effect it had on Jasper, Edward was trying to ignore it and he felt terrible for pushing Jasper's feelings aside to help his mother. He'd never claimed not to be selfish, his desire to help Esme would hold over Jasper's own sake. He'd one day have to apologise for his abuse of Jasper's gift though he doubted his brother would ever expect such a thing to happen. Jasper had both understood and agreed to this, he'd wanted to help especially when Edward had gifted him the freedom to mourn away from the family for Carlisle's death. Edward continued to stay beside Esme his hand clutching one of her own while tenderly stroking her hair back and whispering to her, trying to reach her in her forced numbness. Trying to make her see that she did not want to die, his attempt at saving her life came from both a selfish place and from a place of love.

"This can't continue Edward. You are draining Jasper. No matter what you say it will do nothing to change anything. You can't reach her when she's like that" Rose sighed aggravated, even though she'd understood the depths of Edward's choices she still couldn't agree to what he was doing.

"I'm fine Rose. Edward keep trying" Jasper whispered weakly.

"Keep trying what?" Rose said and Edward would have been angry at Jasper's slip had he not understood his brother's growing weakness from pushing his own ability. Decades of holding himself back from the true depths of his own power were now punishing him for trying to tap back into it. Edward understood this that Jasper going to these levels was not only mentally taxing of his ability, but also brought back memories of a time he would forget if he was allowed the choice.

"No" Rose said as she looked at Edward wide eyed seeing what it was, putting together the pieces of what it was that Edward may be trying while Jasper numbed Esme of all feeling.

"You sick monster" Rose snarled standing up as Edward broke contact with Esme and standing to face off with Rose should she decide to lunge for him it wouldn't be the first time her anger towards him became something physical.

"I had no choice but to try. We'll lose her if we don't find a way to ease her pain. Carlisle wouldn't want her to suffer" Edward shook his head his misguided attempt to save Esme, while it came from a good place. From a place of love it was also a deeply disturbing use of his new growing gift, one he and Jasper had only briefly talked over through Jasper's thoughts when he'd first returned to find Esme so deeply grief stricken.

The two had believed with their joined gifts they might very well be able to ease her pain and in there, be able to take away her need for destruction. Neither had wanted to lose her, hadn't wanted the family to lose another member of the family. They'd accepted that what they were doing was extremely wrong but was an attempt to save Esme from a death she wanted.

"Carlisle wouldn't want you brainwashing her. You don't even have control of it, you'd use her like some kind of lab rat." Rose refused stepping between Edward and Esme then and reaching to slap away Jasper's grip the evidence of his own mental fatigue showing as his hand simply slipped away and he huffed out audibly in a sigh.

"What do you suggest then Rosalie. Do you think that we just let her get past it? Let her try and heal? That isn't how it works!" Edward snarled his growing irritation and then seeing as Esme's emotions flooded back to her fast and unforgiving as she sobbed loudly and Jasper looked to Edward apologetically.

Edward shook his head when Jasper asked mentally if he should continue. He'd pushed Jasper too much, he knew he'd been wrong but he'd wanted to find a way to protect Esme. He however didn't like how Rosalie didn't see what the reality of this situation was, his sister who had suffered as a human but had never experienced the level of emotional pain that Esme was now suffering.

" _Please...Edward please. Let me go. He's gone I can't be away from him let me go. I don't want this life without him"_

Edward cringed back away from Esme's pleading thoughts taking a large step away from her bed as Esme turned to look towards Edward her voice croaking out through her wails. Reaching for him as Rose sat beside her and shook her head angrily, his sister however couldn't see that still Esme pleaded for death. That as Rose tried to comfort her all Esme saw was Carlisle's lifeless head, that all Esme saw was the distant little purple smoke rising into the sky and how her only hope was to join him. That the belief that she'd be alone forever, unless she found him in the afterlife, once again struggling to move. So grief stricken was she that she seemed almost physically as weak as any human in Rose's arms then and it only twisted in Edward's stomach more. How vulnerable she was and how he'd looked to take advantage of her, that while his plan had been to help her it had also been so deeply manipulative.

"I think you should go" Rosalie said then firmly her mind made up that for all the times Edward had helped them she wasn't about to allow his solutions to place Esme at risk. She knew his desire came from trying to help her but she couldn't believe he'd go to such lengths, Rose believed he needed a moment to really get a hold of himself. Jasper too if he'd honestly believed this was a solution to helping Esme, the both of them were clearly not thinking straight.

"Both of you. I'll take care of her. We won't use any gifts on her unless she asks for that" Rose said making her stance completely known as Edward moved to Jasper but he shook his head standing upright and refusing any help. While mentally he felt like he'd gone through nine rounds his body wasn't tired, though the idea of hunting wasn't unappealing.

"She'll need Jasper. You think you understand Rose but you don't. You don't understand because you don't see as Jasper and I do. You've also never faced this." Edward said and while he was willing to back down now realising how wrong he and Jasper had been to attempt forcing his thoughts to Esme's manipulated emotional mind to help her survive this. He knew that Rose was by no means in possession of the gifts or ability to help Esme, all while they talked Esme continued to cry, only whimpering between stuttered breathing and wailed out whimpers. Her mind still screaming at Edward, still calling to him.

" _No Edward. You have to help me. He's gone forever torn apart and burned. My Carlisle gone forever, all alone. He's alone Edward you have to help me. End this please"_

Edward swallowed against his venom that filled his mouth at the rage that her begging created in him, rage at those who had done this too her. That the pack had taken his father from him and shattered his mother, that now his own sister believed him a monster for trying to find a solution to easing her suffering. Edward didn't cower under Rosalie's glare as he moved towards Esme pressing his lips against her forehead tenderly and stroking her face softly. He could speak no words that would give her any peace and he couldn't find the strength to say anything as she continued to plead with him for mercy. Pleaded with him in her mind for an escape, she had only learnt of her mates death hours ago and yet he knew this would only get worse. That her desperation and pain would only distort her further until she was a hollow shell, the only fortunate thing had been that her anger had died away. She'd at first directed her rage at Edward and he'd been willing to accept any blame she may have placed upon him, he had been surprised she'd not once thought of killing the pack.

When all his mind could focus on was the thought of the heads of wolves on the ends of pikes, she thought of only Carlisle alone without her by his side. She believed him crossed over, believed him in some kind of limbo or other side waiting for her. Now the only thing she feared was being forced to live without him. Yet he couldn't give her what she wanted, even as she reminded him of his own desire for death when he'd believed Bella gone he selfishly found himself wanting to cling onto his mother. If he could keep her alive somehow he'd keep a part of his father breathing, Edward didn't know who to turn to for guidance now.

"I won't be far. Whatever you may think of me... She is my mother and I would do anything to save her this" Edward said finally taking one hard look at Rose before it faltering at the sight of Esme curled into Rose tight in a ball trembling around her tearless cries. Edward exited the room then Jasper waiting for him in the hallway.

"It didn't work?" Jasper asked but both already knew the answer, it hadn't come to him. Whatever he'd expected it hadn't worked, he'd pushed but sensed nothing.

"I couldn't get a grasp for it. I've seen in Kate's own thoughts how she feels this presence of something when she forces it out from her body. I'd believed I could do that, if I focused on Esme's mind and then pushed my thoughts. All but willed them to her, but nothing. A poor attempt anyway, we were wrong to do that to her, Rose is right in that regard" Edward reached up pinching the bridge of his nose in aggravation as he turned and buried his arm into the brick wall across from him snarling in anger as Jasper moved to him quickly pulling Edward away from lashing out again.

"You're angry. I understand. We all are but you can't lash out Edward. Perhaps we were wrong to attempt to do such a thing, but we both did it from a place of concern for her. Rose is right in that we were wrong not to speak with others and Esme first. She also doesn't feel or hear what Esme is right now. She sees grief but doesn't know it in the way we do, she doesn't know what Esme is carrying within her" Jasper said firmly his hand pressed into Edward's chest to make him stand away from the wall he'd buried his arm into his head rested back against the wall looking up to the ceiling.

"She is pleading for me to give her mercy Jasper. She has begged me to help her to her death. How do I say no? How do I say yes? I know there will be no end to her suffering. I can only hope to take from her that pain. Turn her into a shell of numbness be it with your gift or by somehow finding how to control this fucking curse of mine and ending it myself. Even then she will never be free she'll be no different than Marcus forced to live on by the hands of selfish leaders" Edward growled and Jasper found himself shocked at what Edward had said, while he knew of her heartbroken devastating grief, the completely brokenness of her with what had been taken from her. Jasper hadn't expected for her to plead with Edward to end her, even while knowing what became of others who lost their mates for some reason he'd not thought to think of Esme seeking her end.

"She isn't angry" Jasper said his tone changing and hand slipping from Edward's chest realising what this meant, she had shown signs of the anger but it had been wrapped in her pain. She wasn't enraged, not like Victoria had been after they had destroyed James. The red head was still living on that rage to find revenge in what they'd taken from her and yet Esme felt no need for revenge or death. She only wanted peace.

"She only wants death. She doesn't want the pack dead she doesn't want anything but to be with Carlisle. She wants me to give her permission to end her life" Edward shook his head moving away from Jasper feeling like the very walls of his home were closing in around him then, feeling the deep need to scream out at the world and its cruelty. That two truly good souls in this dark immortal world were lost and that he couldn't even hope to save the one that still breathed.

"I need to get away from here... I can't." Edward's eyes turned back to the bedroom of Esme still hearing her pleading mind, it had fallen to only three words. Three words that he knew would follow him to the ends of the earth if he was to run like he wished.

" _Please...kill...me"_

Edward didn't wait for Jasper to reply before he was descending the stairs to the living room, Tanya and Kate were more than aware of what had been said. All of them were and while many of their minds were reaching out to him trying to force their own opinions Edward had never in his existence wished for an off switch. It was only Emmet's angry approach that made Edward harden he knew Emmet had been prevented from coming to Rosalie's aid when she'd been pinned by Edward. She'd attempted to stop Jasper and Edward simply hadn't had the patients, Emmet grief stricken himself and still very angry with how Rose had come to harm wasn't happy with Edward. He'd expected it but he almost found himself daring his larger bother to come to him, the belief that he'd finally have some kind of exert for the anger that was building up inside of him. Emmet the strongest of them all would give Edward just the outlet that he was looking for his mind was already set on his course of action and it didn't take Alice to see any type of vision to see what would come if someone didn't intercept Emmet's approaching form.

"Emmet stop..." Alice cried out.

"You ever lay your hand on my mate again" Emmet snarled as Edward shook his head at Kate who looked to Edward her hand extended and ready to knock Emmet to his knees if he continued on. Edward saw it coming but didn't try to dodge it almost feeling the need to feel a physical blow like a physical pain would be a sign of his emotional pain.

Emmet moved then barging between both Tanya and Kate and gripping hold of Edward in one motion and then slamming him through the pillar in the open space living room. The sound of crumbled and broken brick was loud in Edward's ears as Emmet drove his back through the pillar and then continued and slammed Edward into the wooden flooring. Even in Emmet's anger his manhandling of Edward wasn't meant to harm but more so as a means of warning. Unfortunately for Emmet, it would be Edward who would not be the one holding back.

A life time of only ever needing these shows of strength to make his point Emmet had never really had to get truly physical with any of his family. Edward's growing anger and his need for something other than a weak wall to lash out against, Emmet had given Edward the exact means to removing the hate that was working through him. He couldn't kill the wolves, not yet but he could fight Emmet. He was aware enough then to know that while he wanted a fight he didn't want to hurt Emmet, hoped that he wouldn't hurt Emmet too badly. Edward could hear the shouts of his family the distinct scream of his own mate Bella that vibrated in his enhanced eardrum as the rubble settled around him as he was forced into the flooring. Emmet had been ready to threaten him and release him without any more but Edward had reacted. He'd kicked out Emmet's feet from under him as he dropped to his knees, Edward moving with a cobra like speed flipping from the crater in the Cullen home and driving his knee into Emmet's chin.

The resounding crack and crunch was deafening as Edward bared his teeth at his bear sized brother wrapping his hand around his throat and moving into bite him. Rage and adrenaline completely in place, the need to not only fight but destroy so much stronger then Edward would have ever believed. It wasn't Emmet at his feet now, chin split by a vicious crack looking up wide eyed at Edward who snarled savagely readying to bite.

"Enough" Bella screamed.

It gave pause to Edward's advance as Bella pushed her way from out of Kate's restraining grasp and she tried to storm towards Edward angrily, everyone shocked enough that Edward had given pause on her demand instead of continuing. Eleazer had been closet with Alice and Jasper to step in and try and stop Edward, Xavier and Rochelle stood close enough that had Edward needed them they would have been there but weren't about to step in. Bella moved past Eleazer, and moved right to Edward and looking at him, her expression both angry and heartbroken. Disappointed even in the way Edward was handling himself, even though she knew Emmet had attacked him first she had to believe that under normal circumstances he would have controlled himself better.

"We're a family. This isn't how we treat each other. Edward you let him go. Right now. This isn't what Carlisle would want. This isn't what Esme needs. The pack wants you reacting badly, your giving them what they want and this right here..." Bella stepped in then as Edward released his grip on Emmet's neck Bella standing between her own mate now and her brother, protective almost even though she was the weakest of them all.

"You will never lay your hands on our family like that again Edward. I understand tensions are high, I know this hurts and you're angry and you can't do anything about it yet. Fighting our family won't fix this" Bella's tone softened as she reached up cupping his face gently his onyx eyes soften slightly and leaning into her touch as she looked around her family.

Jasper was helping Emmet up from the ground and shaking his head at Emmet, he'd picked a poor time to try and make some kind of statement. Edward hadn't hurt Rose he'd simply stopped her from her attempt to stop them trying to help Esme.

"And you. You will never touch my mate again. I don't care if I'm human. This never happens again or I promise you Emmet the first thing I do once I'm changed is show you what happens" Bella said with a fiery heat in her gaze that made Xavier laugh loudly making many of the family turn around to face the man.

"Bravo Bella. Put these Neanderthals in their place. Edward I had believed you a man of words" Xavier had said with a teasing tone even if it didn't hit the mark in the way he'd hoped the distant look in Edward's eyes while softened still worried some of them.

"I'm sorry Bella" Emmet said as he wiped the venom leaking over his chin pressing it over the crack to help seal it shut, he too had felt the need to lash out his anger he'd just needed a reason. He'd never wanted to hurt Edward but he'd known he was risking antagonising Edward, he'd known Edward may well react violently. He'd not expected him to react so quickly though.

"Edward" Emmet reached around Bella offering his hand to his brother his mind apologising for at least tackling him. Edward reaching towards it and taking it even if somewhat a little reluctantly, no words were shared from Edward. He'd not spoken, still the words of Esme running through his mind. The image of the dead rat, in his father's lifeless head lingering ever present on his mind.

"Perhaps a brief moment away from the house would give us all a little time to ourselves" Carmen offered then stepping up beside Eleazer and taking his hand in her own looking to Bella in hope she would understand.

"You haven't eaten Bella" Alice said with a slight knowing look.

It wasn't that they wanted to force Edward out of the house but more give him time away from anything that may cause him to react badly, Bella wanted to protect Edward also. He refused to show his grief plainly like Emmet had with his crying but she hoped alone perhaps he would take down those walls for her that he'd open up to her enough to let her help him. Using her need for food would give at least Edward the idea that he wasn't taking the break for himself but for a way to take care of Bella, he'd care more about another's care over his own.

"We can go to the diner. Give us some time alone Edward" Bella said softly and he turned his gaze back to look down at her and she knew he was struggling with how accepting of this he was, slipping her hand into her own she pulled him slightly towards the front door. The second they'd exited the house he finally broke his silence.

"I'm sorry Bella" Edward whispered huskily in his usually smooth tone.

"I know. I know you were reacting to what Emmet did. I also know that something happened to make him angry enough to do that to you. Jasper said you had to wait to grieve and I'm telling you Edward you don't have too. I've let you down in the past not seeing when you've needed my support and understanding. I won't let that happen this time. Carlisle was your father, you loved him and he's been taken from you. You don't have to pretend it doesn't hurt, you don't have to be strong in front of me Edward. I'm here for you. I want to be here to help you. I love you" Bella turned around to say to him as she watched his eyes lower from meeting her gaze but she could see that her words were resonating with him.

"I love you too" Edward whispered pulling Bella towards him by their joined arms and wrapping her up in his arms, the soothing ease that filtered over his chest as he held her in his arms was more then he felt he deserved but he'd never deny himself it.

They stood there then on the porch of the Cullen home clinging to each other, Bella both grateful that he was at least being more open with her and letting her comfort him. She also enjoyed the comfort that she in turn received from the simple closeness of holding each other, she'd be a liar to say she wasn't heartbroken by what had happened. She could store her own pain away though at least not take the focus away from Edward, she knew he'd do it that he'd focus more on her comfort over what had happened instead of his own. For all the things he saw wrong in himself he truly did care for her above all else, would place himself behind her even when it had been his father that had been lost. His endless selfless love and care of her was something she'd truly began to see and hoped she'd be able to return to him in kind. She didn't want him to always carry the burden alone any longer, she wanted to be strong enough to help carry every hurt and pain he'd done so alone in the past to protect her.

"Let's go for a drive" Edward said finally as he leant back to meet Bella's eyes, they had promised to be more honest and while he hated the thought of burdening her. He knew that he needed to speak to her to hear what she thought, while the rest of the family knew she was still unaware to most of what was happening with Esme. She was unaware of what Edward and Jasper had attempted to do and what had caused the argument between himself and Rose.

"We'll need to take the Aston. I don't think the Volvo will be much use anymore. I doubt it'll be an easy fix either." Edward said trying to think about the cars, a poor attempt even he knew of trying to distract his own mind on what he was thinking. The silence becoming looming as they both walked hand in hand to the entrance to the garage from the outside of the house finding it empty, as the two of them climbed into Edward's vanquish. The car he'd once dubbed as his special occasion car.

Edward wasted little time distancing himself from his home then the gravel kicking up roughly under the sleek tires of his Aston Martin as he took the exit from the long drive way. Once again Bella reached over freeing one of his tense hands from the steering wheel and bringing it back to her lap. Away from Esme's thoughts, from everyone else thoughts of anger and sorrow he felt like he could breath. Edward could only hope Jasper allowed himself the distance too, if this was so deeply affecting him he couldn't begin to imagine how testing this was for his brother. They drove in silence no true destination in mind, Bella was more than content to be there with him, she couldn't offer him the same freedom of hunting that she assumed many of the others may try to take away some of the pent up emotions. One day that would be a choice for them but for now, a drive even a short time away from the house would be vital to keep Edward calm. They still needed each other and Esme needed her family not at each other's throats as things had become unravelled.

"I wanted to help her. Esme. I thought if Jasper and I could just combine our gifts, if I could get some kind of handle on it perhaps I'd be able to ease her. Sooth her through this pain" Edward spoke as Bella watched his tormented features shift but never turn to look at her as he continued driving. She wouldn't interrupt him seeing that he was finally opening up, at least telling her what had happened upstairs while the rest of the family had been expected to give them some distance.

"Eleazer and Jasper seemed certain I could force my mind outwards. Send a command and I tried, I tried to force some semblance of a command to her. Nothing, though. I couldn't make it happen, even with her mind numbed completely by Jasper's gift I couldn't seem to find a way to control this...whatever it is" Edward gritted out through clenched teeth his jaw tight, looking even more stone like in his appearance then it usually did.

"Rosalie was already against my telling Jasper to take it away. I knew she would and I guess, I know at least part of me wanted her to reject the idea. I knew it wasn't right but I couldn't see any other option. Once Rose caught on to what Jasper and I were really planning she wanted us gone. Jasper couldn't continue the way he was. Even with our endless physical stamina there is a limit to our mental abilities. I pushed him, made him abuse his gift and I'll feel guilty for that but I didn't have a choice" Edward said his hand moving up to grip the front of his hair and then move back to hold the steering wheel, Bella all while giving him the silent ears to listen to his struggles. To the choices he was expected to make and yet condemned for.

"I just wanted to take her pain away. I wanted to help her and I selfishly wanted to save her so I didn't have to loss her too" Edward turned the car to the side of a back road and bringing it to a stop his head looking down to his lap defeated.

"You won't loss her Edward. We'll find a way to help her" Bella whispered reaching out and stroking softly at the back of Edward's unruly hair trying to ease his own pain.

"You haven't seen it either. Jasper has, I have. Kate and Tanya too. Even Eleazer knows. Xavier and Rochelle don't even know Esme and they already know. My siblings are in denial and I too wished to find some way but I can't. There is no way to help her Bella" Edward turned to look at his mate, Bella feeling the lump form in her throat at the pure heartbroken gaze he settled on her. He had never looked more like a lost boy in that moment then as he tried to make her see what was happening, the loss of his father and the suffering of his mother.

"I told you what happens when we lose our mates Bella" Edward whispered roughly feeling the need to look away from Bella's watering eyes. Those words finally making her understand what Rose hadn't wanted to accept, what the rest of his family had wanted to believe wasn't the future for their mother.

Bella couldn't speak but found herself remembering his constant warnings behind his declarations of love, every time he'd ever told her about his depth of love for her. He'd called her his reason for existing, she had seen the aftermath of how far he would go to protect her and keep her alive. Then Bella also remembered her enemy Victoria, a vampire who had an endless determination to destroy her and the Cullen's for taking James from her.

Her mate.

Edward had said that those of his kind when they lost their mate they often lost themselves in grief. That either the anger came and they'd seek to avenge their loved one. Then they would seek destruction. Edward when he had believed Bella dead had gone to the Volturi to seek out his death, he had gone straight to Aro and begged for his destruction. Was prepared to force the hands of some of the most powerful vampires in existence to bring about his end because he'd believed she was dead. Bella was quickly beginning to understand what it was that Edward believed his family were trying to deny.

Esme wouldn't get better because she didn't want too.

Esme wasn't a mortal woman who would move past the loss of her husband as any other woman would with time. She would carry the loss of Carlisle forever. Slowly becoming more broken and detached as time went by, Bella had witnessed an immortal so deeply detached from this world but forced to live on in Marcus.

"She wants to die" Bella found herself strangling out the words through her tears, Edward bringing her into his arms and muffling her sob into his chest as he held her.

"What do I do? How can I refuse her request when I know that fear? That belief, that the only thing that made this life worth living is gone. I either allow my mother to die or I condemn her to a life of misery. Either I let her grow to hate me or my family will hate me for what I do. She begs, she has only begged for her end to me. Tell me what I am to do Bella please" Edward whispered finally his will shattering as he too found himself trembling around his silent tears his hands both needing to squeeze tighter and yet knowing to be gentle with his fragile mate.

Bella slowly changing their embrace bringing Edward's head to her chest as she cradled his head to her kissing his ear and stroking back his hair as he fell apart. As he pleaded with her to understand what was expected of him, seeing that while he'd been expected to lead he'd never expected this choice. Edward wasn't ready to make the choice of giving his mother mercy or forcing her to live a life he himself would not have wanted to live.

"We have to let her go" Bella whispered through her hiccups caressing Edward's hair as she pressed her lips to his ear. Even though the words tasted of the worst betrayal to her she had to tell him what she knew was only right. She didn't want to lose Esme but she couldn't help but think of Marcus, that tormented immortal tied down by gifts of others, forced to live on even though inside he was already gone.

"We can't force her to live on like Aro has done to Marcus. We have to love her enough to give her the choice Edward. No one will hate you. I don't hate you. We have to do what's right for Esme" Bella cried and Edward nodded his trembling halting slightly as he pressed his face tighter into Bella's warm chest, the beat of her heart like the only lullaby that could heal his broken heart.

"Her choice. God forgive me I'll give her the choice" Edward croaked out weakly welcoming the embrace of his mate and allowing Bella to hold him together for the first time in their relationship as he fell apart.

Finally realising what would have come all along, no vampire lived on without their mate. Not in any capacity that wasn't a cursed one, he'd almost forced his mother to become what Aro had made of Marcus. He'd almost without thought abused Jaspers gift as Aro did all his guard and forced Esme to an imprisoned life where her mind was not her own. He'd break all of their hearts to do this, but he couldn't refuse his mother the only thing she wanted. What any one of them would want if they were without their other half.

Edward knew that he would have to help kill his mother to save her.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N Hey everyone, first I'd just like to make a quick note to both _Moosals_ and _Purex50x_ who have both placed Red Dawn on the communities that they have. It always means a lot to me when not only you guys add me to your favourites and alerts but it's also cool seeing Red Dawn added to communities where other's who haven't read this story yet can see it. I'd like to think I've got some of the coolest readers, you all seem very open with messaging me and letting me know what you think. Even when it's to tell me off for things I've missed or things I can fix here and there, it's really fun to be able to interact with people like that. Especially when I know you all do it only to help along my writing, you've all made this return to writing very enjoyable for me. While I don't like to start thinking of other story ideas until I've completely finished something I've written I have to be honest and say you may have brought me back completely. Already ideas are forming that I have to push aside for now until after Red Dawn, first I have to complete and clean this one up though. I know Red Dawn means a lot to me and from what some of you guys have said it means a lot to you also so I don't want to let any of you down with that. Anyway I'll stop boring you with my authors note and let you all get into the newest chapter, as always I hope to get another up this week but if not be back same time next week :P...**

 **Enjoy :)**

 **RED DAWN**

 **SUMMARY:** Edward had always warned Bella that the pack were dangerous. Hostile, volatile and aggressive in nature. She ignored him, testing even Edward's own vampire instinct by staying friends with his enemy, Jacob. One event will change them all, Bella never truly understood the supernatural world. Didn't understand the aggression that lay dormant even in her controlled mate until it was too late. Warning: Violence and Character death.

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the Characters.**

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty**

Edward and Bella remained curled against each other in the small space of the Aston Martin. Bella had moved into Edward's lap eventually as she'd tried to hold him together in his almost hysterical grief. Not that she'd been able to hold herself together any better. They had not said another word but the sounds of their cries and the soothing shushes and tender brushes of lips as both tried to ease each other through what they knew was going to happen.

Neither said another word as Edward pressed his face into the crook of Bella's neck and she'd clung to his hair tightly holding him there, they had never been more open and vulnerable in that moment as they mourned. Together they mourned so much.

The death of a father, the reality of losing a mother, and even the future that they had both believed.

All they could hold onto was the love they had for each other. All they could rely on was that they had each other in that moment. Neither one of them spoke about things that moved through their thoughts, Edward grateful for Bella's silent mind more so then ever before. Being able to only hear his own thoughts and pain while still being able to offer physical comfort as Bella too comforted him. For everything that had happened Edward couldn't believe that he'd never be able to earn his father's forgiveness. That his father may have died believing him a monster or that he even hated him, he'd told him to leave and now he would never return.

It twisted in Edward like a knife, when they all should have been happy, when he should have been able to ask Carlisle to stand at his side as his best man at his marriage to Bella. Edward would never get to share that with Carlisle now, it had been taken from them all. The fact that Edward knew Esme too would be leaving him only hurt more, he'd lost his human parents and now he would be expected to let go of those who he'd honestly believed would never leave him. Once again he would be an orphan to this world.

"I'll never be able to earn his forgiveness. He died hating what I was" Edward sobbed brokenly as Bella found herself forcing his beautifully heartbroken face up to meet her tear stained face.

"Carlisle never hated you. Don't you ever think that, he loved you. He loved you so much Edward, he was confused. He was struggling with the choices of our family but he never hated you." Bella said firmly trying so very hard to control her tears, at the sight of him.

She couldn't stop thinking about that picture in his wallet, that image of human Edward with his human parents and now knowing that she couldn't save him from that same pain again. He'd lost Edward Senior and Elizabeth and now he'd lost Carlisle and they were sure that Esme would leave too, she didn't want to be angry but she couldn't help it. She understood and yet she didn't, why had Carlisle gone to the wolves. Why would he have done that, placed himself in harm's way. All that his choices had brought down on them all because he'd refused to see. She couldn't voice her anger though because she didn't want to hurt Edward.

"I don't want to let her make the choice. I don't want her to make the choice. I know what she'll decide and I don't want her too. She's my mother, she's the remaining living part of Carlisle and I'm failing. How can my family believe I'm any leader when I'm failing my parents? I've failed them already" Edward tried to move his hands to cover his face but Bella's hands remained in place holding the sides of his head and leaning forward to press her lips gently to his forehead. His arms going limp under her kiss as they lowered and then wrapped around her back tightening around her holding her closer. Needing her still even closer to him than he already had her.

"You haven't failed us Edward. You can't blame yourself for this." Bella hated seeing how he was blaming himself, hated that she was watching him break before her.

His self loathing, his doubt and belief he was to blame for everything, she couldn't let him carry this though. Not the guilt of Carlisle being killed, she refused to let him carry that on his shoulders it would destroy him eventually if he was expected to take on that blame. Even more so if Esme truly did make the choice to join her husband and mate in death, she couldn't allow Edward to shoulder that burden and blame. It would destroy everything he was.

"Carlisle made the choice Edward. He made the choice to meet the pack. You aren't to blame for what Carlisle decided to do. He alone placed himself in harms way, after everything that has happened. He risked his life and he risked Esme's. I loved Carlisle but I won't let you carry this. You can be angry at me but only Carlisle and the pack can be blamed for his death and what it has done to Esme" Bella said firmly the traces of her anger at Carlisle slipping past her control, she wouldn't let Edward carry that blame not when there were others who deserved it more.

She would never think to dishonour Carlisle or his memory but he had lost himself, even though she herself hadn't wanted the pack killed. Even though she'd not wanted or wished to believe they had to fight she'd understood that there was no longer a middle ground, it was us against them.

Pack against Cullen.

Carlisle should have never gone to them alone, or gone when he'd been told to leave. Her mate wouldn't be blamed for something he'd had no idea of, he'd been watching over her no doubt when Carlisle had made that choice. She'd love Carlisle and she'd miss him every day but she wouldn't deny she was angry too, angry that her last memory of him would be a sad one where she'd not recognised the man she'd come to see as a father.

"I know, it was his choice that put him there. I can't help but feel I allowed this to escalate. I let him slow my choices on dealing with the pack. Now they've killed my father, for all his actions and feelings against me I still wish he could have seen I was only trying to protect us all. And Esme..." Edward struggled his mind moving back to his mother who he should still be with, helping instead of hiding away from what her mind pleaded for. The shame he felt for fleeing when he should be standing strong still ever present.

"I know her pain. When I thought I'd lost you, when I went to the Volturi. I couldn't live in a world without you. I couldn't bear you ever coming to harm again Bella. I couldn't, I feel so guilty while I feel so much despair and hate in my stomach I feel relieved it isn't you that has been harmed again" Edward whispered looking into Bella's eyes, desperate for a distraction from his pain and from the thoughts that haunted him from his mothers begging and pleading he needed his mate.

"I can't lose you Bella. I couldn't..." Edward pressed his lips to Bella's then, desperate and needy as his fingers slipped beneath her shirt caressing the warm soft flesh of her back.

The kiss that they shared then was not one of their usual affection and love, and while it still held the bond it was filled with sorrow, both still tormented and stricken by the loss of a loved one. It was needy in every touch and lingering caress, as they pushed closer together it was proof that both of them were still there. That while they had lost, and would perhaps continue to lose, they wouldn't allow each other to lose one another. For the first time in either of their relationship they used the comfort of flesh and intimacy to distract them from the pain that lingered and promised to never leave them. Bella's hands tugging and pulling on Edward's hair as he rocked her body slowly over his own, neither thought about how this was wrong and that they were doing something more intimate then they had ever shared before.

It didn't matter though, their love seemed the only thing that could make them feel anything other than the pain and they would take advantage of that. Perhaps later they would allow themselves to regret how things had progressed, but then it was all they could do to hold themselves above the rising water that promised to drown them in their grief. As Edward's tongue stroked along the pulse of Bella's neck his fingers slipped beneath the waistband of her panties, his cool touch sending sparks along her skin and making her whimper while her pelvis jerked.

They found the escape that they had needed.

While their family very well may never recover they both selfishly clung to each other. As Bella allowed Edward to touch her in ways he'd not so done before, his fingers intimately entering her with a gentleness that she'd not expected in their urgency for more. The moment for Edward when Bella's warm little hand cupped along his hardness and stroked over his crotch. The feral pleasure filled him as she'd palmed him and made him feel more then he'd ever believed before, for all he'd seen in minds he'd never truly known.

Hearing thoughts didn't prepare him for the reality of her touch.

His fingers tugging at her zipper opening her jeans more for his hand as he peeked at the lacy panties, hidden before from his view stretched with the intrusion of his hand. Edward's thumb circled against her sensitive nub, eliciting a peel of such pleasurable sound from his little mate, sound that he could never but hope to create with any instrument. Edward felt like the very world drained of colour as his vision focused on Bella only, her sight centred only on the face of the man she loved. The world faded around them as they found in each other an escape both their tattered hearts had needed.

"Forever..."

"Always..."

"Please..."

"Love..."

Words that fell from both of their lips as they clung to each other panting roughly, bodies both aching unusually for more and yet still alive with satisfaction. Neither regretted what they'd shared but knew it hadn't been what it should have. They'd both fallen into desperate need of each other. What should have been another step towards finally completing their mated bond, had become tinged with heartbreak and sadness.

Bella rested her head on Edward's chest, heaving a heavy breath, Edward's hand still inside of her jeans. His lips pressed into the crown of her hair, Bella's own hand tightly pressed against the hard twitching bulge that lay beneath his own jeans crotch. It should have been more romantic, for all the time they had waited and wondered. The first time they'd truly touched and brought themselves to blissful release had not been what either had believed it would be. They had allowed themselves to get carried away, needing that closeness. Edward couldn't help but wish he'd had it within himself to stop them and yet he could regret it either, he'd not wanted his first orgasm brought on by her touch to be in his car.

Like some hormonal teenager.

Even the thought brought a slight amusement, even if it was somewhat bitter. At least he could cling to the memory of the pleasure he'd brought to her in his bedroom before she'd accepted his proposal, he felt like he'd disrespected her somehow by doing this here. In the manner in which he had done so too, he could only hope that Bella did not feel he had used her or taken advantage in any way.

"We got carried away" Bella said already believing she'd know what had brought on Edward's silence, feeling the strange sense that she knew that this had in some way been wrong. Even though, it had felt so good. It had felt beyond good, it had given her a moment. Even as brief, as it may have been, of freedom from the burden of what they would have to return to soon.

"Yes we did. I feel I owe you an apology and yet I can't seem to regret it. I needed you, I still need you. It wasn't how I thought we'd progress and it isn't the ideal time but... It was still... it was amazing" Edward whispered and he didn't want to break the intimate contact his fingers had with her but could feel the tender twitch of her around him and didn't want to make her sore. Bella whimpered softly clutching at his shirt her hand slipping over his crotch to his thigh and gripping tightly as Edward found himself hissing along with her moan.

"Jesus" Bella panted roughly feeling the ache, she'd not expected to feel an ache from his fingers and yet then when she saw his long fingers move from her she wasn't that surprised. She'd always before made countless comments on the sheer length of his long fingers, she was however slightly embarrassed to see the signs of her arousal from her orgasm on his fingers.

"I'm sorry" Bella apologised as Edward shook his head, she couldn't help but feel relieved there hadn't been any blood though, she'd assumed. Maybe she was naive but he'd felt so deep inside of her with his fingers she'd believed her virginity would have been taken simply by that, she was relieved however there was none. It was a fear she'd not thought to worry over until that moment he'd curled his long fingers deliciously inside of her.

"You have nothing to apologise for love" Edward whispered pressing his lips again to her hair, his eyes turning to his finger coated in her arousal. The desire to taste was overwhelming and yet he felt a small amount of embarrassment should Bella find that strange of him, she had no idea just how good it smelled. That it could only possibly be beaten by the very scent of her blood.

"I thought there would be blood, did you not break my... I just well you were so...ugh sorry this is humiliating" Bella looked down shifting uncomfortably on his lap then not able to meet his gaze. She felt like such a naive ignorant idiot that she didn't know nearly enough about sex, here she had been begging for more and yet she had no idea about half of what was to be expected.

"Love, don't. You don't have a hymen love." Bella looked up then to Edward surprised and yet shaking her head, she'd never had sexual intercourse so of course she must have had a hymen.

"I'm a virgin" Bella blurted.

"I know. I know I'll be your first. Sexual intercourse isn't required for you to break your hymen though love. There are many things that could have caused you to have broken your hymen. Some woman aren't even born with them, it's different for everyone. I can tell though, well my sense could tell. There's a certain fragrance that one carries before they've had sex" Edward explained to Bella trying his best to dispel her concerns, he'd not known of course until he'd been touching her of her lack of a hymen. He'd known though that he was Bella's first even without his sense that allowed such knowledge he'd trusted her when she'd told him she'd been with no other.

"I'm so embarrassed. I'm 18 years old and I don't know anything about..." Edward shushed Bella softly leaning forward to press his lips against her cheek tenderly, lovingly as he cuddled her closer to his body.

"I'm a lot older Bella with just as little experience. It's nothing you need to feel embarrassed about" Edward shook his head smiling at her softly, once again reminded by how simply she'd been able to pull his mind away from what lay ahead for them. He leaned forward resting his forehead against her own sighing gently as he brushed his lips against her own.

"You don't regret what..." Edward had to ask, he had to know that she didn't feel they'd made a mistake. Bella had been completely correct in the fact that they had allowed themselves to get carried away, he could only hope now that she didn't feel this had been a mistake.

"No. Not at all. I... I don't regret it. I don't want you to regret it either. We both agreed we were ready for more, we're upset. We needed each other things got a little more..." Bella blushed which only brought a gentle smile to Edward's face that even with how far they had come in physical intimacy she still blushed for him. It would be one of the things he'd most miss when she was finally like him, when her cheeks no longer turned that shade from her blush.

"I don't regret it Bella. I love you, I just... I wish we had done this under more appropriate circumstances. Not while mourning, not in the front seat of my car" Edward said honestly, they'd clung to each other in desperation and need for proof and intimacy that they still had each other he knew that. Knew that the physical intimacy they had shared had come from a place of grief, while he didn't regret it he certainly couldn't help but wish he'd had the strength and control to get them somewhere more appropriate.

"I guess we're just like every other teenage couple. Experiencing things like this in a car is pretty normal" Bella whispered then moving her eyes to fix them back on Edward's a little impishly, Edward smirking at her even if it still didn't reach his eyes.

"I love you" He said huskily eyes stinging. How could he feel so much love and pain at the same time, he felt so much but yet she seemed to still make him feel whole while he should be feeling completely broken. He didn't know if he should feel wrong for feeling some sense of peace with her while all other's he cared for still were shattered by their own pain.

"I love you too Edward" Bella said confidently her eyes seeing that hint of struggle and wrapping herself around him again as they enjoyed that closeness that still gave them more peace then they believed themselves allowed to feel. Embracing tightly both realising the truth of how deeply their love could help them push aside that pain and yet recognising that in their love they could help each other carry the sorrow too.

Eventually the two would part and gain some at least semblance of composure, Bella had been ready to return to the Cullen home but had come against Edward's protests. The reason for leaving had been to give them all the chance to decompress instead of attacking one another but Edward recognised and knew that Bella needed to eat. Even if she refused to do so at that moment he knew that he couldn't keep allowing her to skip meals. He wouldn't allow anything to compromise her health especially while still healing. He also knew that beneath his logical argument there was still some reluctance to return to his family.

Edward he hadn't handled things well at all, by now he knew that his family were likely completely aware of what he'd attempted. Jasper too likely would have revealed to them what it had been that Esme was requesting though he doubted they'd speak of it openly. No one wanted to think over that. Edward himself didn't want to linger on that thought even though he knew they would need to address it. He didn't want to become like Aro, didn't want to keep a member of his family forced to some kind of prison through the gifts of others. Even though it twisted in his gut, made him believe he could physically and literally become ill from the very thought. Edward knew that Esme would have to be the one to make her choice. Not one person in the family could be expected to make it for her, even if they all wanted her to live.

Either way if Esme made the decision to join her mate, his father Carlisle, as she'd begged, the family would never be the same again. Edward had always viewed Carlisle and Esme as the heart and soul of the very family. He wasn't sure how the dynamic of their family would work without them. Without that love and compassion that had guided them throughout the ages they'd lived together. All Edward could do now was wait, wait and try to hold his family together. Bella was right to challenge him after how epically he'd lashed out against Emmet, he'd looked for some form of confrontation and almost lost his damn mind. He would have taken a bite of Emmet knowing even with his gift that Emmet's initial anger had already waned once he'd slammed Edward down.

Edward knew that it had only been her command that had levelled the aggressive side of his nature, the monster as he'd once before seen it completely stopping under his mates influence. Edward squeezed Bella's thigh gently as she turned to him smiling softly, her beautiful eyes just as conflicted as his own. He pulled his car to a stop in front of the basic but still modest diner that hosted most of the towns option for meals that weren't home made. It had a steady flow of customers during all hours and the elderly couple that ran it had run it for nearly forty years, the family having it throughout the owner's side for even longer. It had been a hangout for many of the teenagers that attended Forks high school not that either Edward or Bella had ever taken to spending time there.

They'd never before actually come here together and Edward had never had reason to come here, but he knew Bella and Charlie had been here a few times in the beginning of her move to Forks. In those times when he'd watched over her silently and confused over his feelings, he remembered watching her with Charlie eating in silence so unsure of himself and the human that had taken his attention. Never had he known then what he had learned now, as he'd opened his eyes to what had been changing within him. It reminded him of a time now that seemed just as long ago as many of the things that had happened throughout his existence.

"We could have gone home Edward. I'm okay really" Bella tried once again but was met only with Edward's shaking head, leaning over to press a kiss to her stitch covered cheek. He'd need to have them removed for her soon, he felt himself wince at the thought. Carlisle who had been in charge of her care, now he'd either have to do it himself or trust a human staff member at the hospital to take over Bella's care. There was so much that had to be dealt with, so much he didn't want to have to face still.

"We're here now, love. You need to eat, you haven't and... Even if you aren't hungry we can take something back to the house with us. Just in case" Edward said and Bella found herself quickly agreeing just to not give him any issues about it, she'd noticed the struggle that had washed over his face.

Something his mind was thinking that made him try to hold himself back, she'd do anything to save him any pain. It wasn't something she could give him though, so not arguing about his need to take care of her was something she could make easy on him.

"Charlie's here too. He's seen us" Edward added then but his tone wasn't open now, it was harsher with a coldness too it that made even Bella shudder against it.

"He's eating with Sue" Edward added his eyes changing to an onyx colour as he exhaled through his flared nostrils. Bella reaching too his hand, on her thigh rubbing her thumbs over the cool smooth skin on the back of his hand.

"We should go Edward. You don't have to be around them. After everything that's happened, let's just go back home to our family" Bella said with more urgency then, she knew that Edward wasn't nearly in the right frame of mind to control himself.

No one would even expect him too, she couldn't risk him seeing something in Sue's mind and reacting to it not only in front of Charlie but the others in the diner. Bella also wanted to keep Edward away from Sue, after he'd killed her daughter Leah, Bella couldn't believe that any face to face meeting would ever go well and she wanted to protect Charlie from the wraith of Sue. She knew how hard he was taking being forced out from his friends, even if it made her somewhat relieved.

"Charlie has already seen us. Its fine, I can handle this. I'm by no means innocent in the hate that Sue carries for me. I won't do anything to disrespect Charlie" Edward said with clear acceptance, he'd taken from Sue her daughter. She'd been somewhat an innocent in comparisons to many of the other wolves, she'd hated what she was, had only been in the fight against his family and the Denali under orders. He'd targeted her because he'd wanted to hurt Sam, he'd killed Leah because he knew the effect such an attack would have. Edward knew that Sue had every right to hate him.

"We won't stay. We'll order something to go and then we're going straight back to Esme" Bella said this time turning Edward's face away from the diner to look at her. There was no argument with her, if Charlie had seen them it would only raise questions if they'd decided to then leave.

Bella and Edward exited his car and Bella found herself moving quickly to her mate's side taking claim of his hand, needing to tether herself to him. She trusted him more than anything but she knew Edward better now than she ever had before, all his warnings in the past about his darker more aggressive nature weren't pushed aside in her mind anymore. She didn't react as she once had and simply believed that he was just overly cautious and protective of her, she'd once believed he was too filled with his self loathing to truly be honest about how little danger he posed. Even though she'd always known what he was she'd just never tied him to those of the traditional vampires she'd known of. Now she knew differently, that even her once controlled and calm vampire love had his limits and that they were gone now. Broken in a moment of her own foolish creation and now she'd need to help him, help Edward through the moments where his patients and anger would be tested. She couldn't hope to stop him as any of his family would but perhaps with his feelings for her she'd be able to reach him in a way other's could not. Like she'd had too when he'd been ready to tear into Emmet's throat when things had escalated at the house.

Bella could see Charlie already standing up from the booth he'd been sat at waving over at her as Bella smiled to her father, so blissfully ignorant Charlie looked happier than he had. Unaware of all the turmoil that was happening in her life, it made her feel only even more guilt ridden that her father who had made such a visible change since her hospital visit could never know the truth. Bella also couldn't help the fear that Sue or someone else from the tribe were to tell Charlie the truth, that they could very well give him their own twisted view of what was happening. They'd place him in unthinkable danger if they breathed even a word and yet she knew she'd never be the one to tell him. She knew her father, knew that he wouldn't be able to live in the world that had taken claim of her. He'd never be able to see past what the Cullen's were, he'd never be able to look at people she loved and cared about as anything but criminals. That he'd only have proof to his once former view of Edward, Charlie would never understand the things Edward had done. Even if he'd changed his very diet to not need to hunt humans, the fact that he had at some point would be guilt enough that Charlie would believe him worthy of punishment.

The law was there for a reason with her father and in the supernatural world, the laws of humans just didn't hold any true value. She lived in a world with one law, that the secret must never be revealed and it was one she'd been given a pardon for simply because of her fate to become one of the immortals. No, Bella would forever be happy to keep Charlie ignorant to what lay dormant in his town that he'd lived all his life. Even though one day she'd have to break his heart to leave her human life behind she knew it was her burden to carry, Charlie couldn't know about shifters, vampires and children of the moon.

"Bells" Charlie called over waving slightly with a grin, Bella raising her hand slightly to wave back, she couldn't help but take sight of Sue still seated across from her father.

Sue looked sick, her normally darker bronze russet tone had a sickly pallor to it, there was bags beneath her usually bright eyes that made her look like she hadn't slept. Even her cheeks were more pronounced as her face had evidently lost weight. Sue looked even in her soured expression still to be taking Leah's death horribly. She could only imagine what must be running through her mind as Bella turned up to look at Edward to see him eyes locked and fixated on the woman. There was a deathly expression on Edward's face, one that made her shiver in a way that made her glad she'd not been present for the night of her attack. She imagined there would have been a similar look upon his usually handsome face when faced with those who tried to come between her injured and dying and him.

It made Bella want to take him and run, force him away from the diner and whatever it was he could see in Sue's mind that had darkened his attitude. He'd been somewhat set in his belief that he'd be able to control himself and yet Bella didn't believe that it was true, he looked ready to leap clear across the diner to get at Sue. Human and incapable of defending herself against a supernatural as powerful as Edward, for all the confrontation between the pack and her family she couldn't agree to harming those who were human. She didn't believe Edward believed that was right, for all the hushed comments she'd heard about dealing with the pack there had never been any mention of those human who knew.

Those who were imprinted or the council members, even Billy and all his manipulative deceit he'd played part in hadn't been mentioned as a target. Humans were of no real threat to them after all, it was only the members of the active pack that were to be destroyed. The look on Edward's face however promised for more than just the pack being destroyed.

"Edward please, you need to calm down" Bella whispered trying her best to dispel whatever was coming over Edward, whatever offense Sue had committed in her mind to bring forth this reaction. Edward remained silent, almost a mirror image in his struggle as he had been that very first day in biology class so long ago now. On the edge between the man he was and the vampire instincts that ruled parts of him he'd always believed needing forced aside in favour of humanity.

"Bells... I didn't expect to see you till tomorrow. Hey Edward, you okay kid?" Charlie had finally approached the two of them as they'd stood awkwardly in the entranceway of the diner, Charlie taking notice of the somewhat puffy redness to Bella's eyes and then Edward's colder appearance. It was disconcerting to Charlie, for all his time around Edward he'd seen him as an aggravation and also as a god send, but his appearance seemed to send warning bells off in Charlie's head he'd never before allowed himself to be aware of. Something wasn't right, the part of the human mind that tried to warn them of a predator that they usually barely noticed was ringing loud and clear.

"Yeah we decided to get something to eat. Edward and I thought we'd grab something to take back to the Cullen's home with us" Bella said softly doing her best to take the attention Charlie was paying Edward away from him and to her.

"That's good. You need to eat, keep your energy up. How did everything go with taking Renee to the airport, I'm sorry I didn't get to see you guys off this morning but... there was something at the station that needed handling" Bella knew that was a lie but didn't challenge Charlie on it, she was positive he'd either been avoiding facing Renee leaving again or still upset from the arguments he'd had with Billy and Sue over the phone. Charlie wasn't an overly emotional person, when he reached those levels he distanced himself and she'd never before heard Charlie as angry as he'd been on the phone.

"Yeah she was okay. I'm going to miss having her around but you know how mom is, doesn't like sticking to one place for long. I'm sure she'll call me when she lands, unless she forgets. She wanted me to thank you for letting her stay" Bella said and Charlie shook his head rolling his eyes, it wasn't like there was really anywhere close by that she could have stayed. They'd both wanted to be close to Bella.

"Well you two kids order whatever you're getting and come sit with Sue and me. I feel like I'll never get to see you with everything that you've got going on in your life" Charlie offered which only worried Bella more the last thing she believed would be of any good was having Edward and Sue so close together, Edward while his face seemed oddly relaxed now was still completely silent.

"Dad we don't want to intrude... this is a date right? I know you haven't had chance to spend time with each other recently" Bella said awkwardly trying to veer away from sitting with her father.

"It's no intrusion Bells. Sue was asking about you anyway" Bella was surprised by this but then worried that perhaps Sue might have been fishing for information from Charlie for members of the pack. It would explain why Edward had reacted so badly once he'd entered into the diner.

"We'd be happy to join you Charlie. While we wait for our food" Edward spoke out then smoothly and calm, his words came out almost too smoothly it almost reminded her of the effect first meeting Tanya had. He was using that dazzling quality, she didn't know if that should have her more worried than anything else.

"Let me get your guys food. It ain't much but consider it congratulation on the engagement" Charlie smiled between them both then reaching forward and giving Bella's arm a soft squeeze.

"Garden burger I'm guessing. How about you, Edward?" Charlie asked already leaving and walking towards the counter as Edward wrapped his arm around Bella's waist leaning to press his lips to her hair inhaling deeply.

"The same Charlie" Edward replied while directing Bella towards the far booth that still had Sue seated at where she and Charlie had been eating their own meals together.

"What are you doing Edward?" Bella said in a harsh whisper more than ready to call his siblings to ask for help, believing he may have lost himself to his anger even if outwardly he showed no signs like he had before.

"We're just waiting for the food and then we'll go home Bella. Nothing more" Edward said too agreeably that even Bella found herself not believing him as she moved to sit beside Sue but found Edward blocking that path as he then moved in to sit there. Bella's eyes widened seeing Edward close the distance between himself and Sue, Bella could see just how disgusted and enraged Sue looked then as Edward boxed her in. The only exit from the booth for Sue now, was by getting past Edward. Sue pressed herself closer to the wall pushing her plate away from her turning her face away from either of them and fixing it on the window and the cars outside of the diner.

"Filthy murderer" Sue muttered but even Bella was able to hear the poor attempt at subtle name calling, this would escalate far too much. She could only hope with Charlie close enough by that both would be able to show some false civility.

"Mud-slinging. Your people have always been good at it. I am a murderer at least I've never tried to hide that. No innocent has died at my hands either, unlike your daughter" Edward said back with a velvety tone that would have made any passer by believe he was talking about anything as normal as the weather and not trying to emotionally attack the woman beside him.

"Stop it" Bella hissed at Edward but her glare was fixed on Sue.

"You are a disgrace. You dishonour your father and...argh..." Bella watched horrified as Sue's face had turned to her mid tirade about to yell at her. It hadn't been her anger that had horrified her though it had been the sight of Edward's eyes, even with his contacts in place they'd almost glowed briefly behind them bright red in colour. His face turned to Sue and then the entire diner had gone silent, deathly silent as he'd rested his finger tip on Sue's arm and Sue had fallen silent too coughing roughly as if the words on her lips had been pulled from her body.

It had only been as Bella had looked around that Bella had noticed the complete stillness and silence of everyone else around the diner, people looked frozen almost in positions. None seemed aware in their eyes like Sue who was stiff and frozen looking right at Bella, even Charlie who was standing across at the counter was frozen in mid pause. Only the slight movements in the chests of those around her, shoulders rising and falling showed that they were breathing.

"Edward" Bella gasped out and for the first time believing she knew already what he'd done, was this that strange growth in power, the ability to force his will. To push thoughts forward, she'd not seen what he'd done before but had heard a little of it, she'd assumed it something like an alpha command this however was so much more. So much more terrifying then she could have ever expected, she didn't believe even Edward knew what he was doing his eyes still focussed solely on Sue.

"Edward, are you doing this" Bella reached over to touch him but her hand paused briefly before making contact with him. Whatever Sue had been thinking and about to say had triggered something inside of him, it had awoken that part of his growing gift that he'd not been able to control when he'd wanted.

"You will never insult my mate again" Edward snarled and then everything seemed to come to life around them as Edward broke contact with Sue's arm. Bella was still frozen in her own shock.

Sue seemed to simply turn her head away from looking at Bella like nothing had happened at all. She had to look around the room to see if anyone had noticed and yet it seemed none were directing glances towards them, she couldn't believe what she'd seen. It wasn't like he'd frozen time but he'd stopped every single person within the diner, time hadn't stopped the large clock above the counter had still continued on ticking but everyone else had returned to themselves and what they were doing or saying as if time had stopped.

" _What the hell did Edward just do?"_

It was the one thing that Bella couldn't get over, what she'd just seen she couldn't believe it, she'd been the only one unaffected by it everyone else had seemed to be pulled under whatever Edward had done. When Edward's and Bella's eyes met though it seemed he was just as confused as she was, he shook his head reaching over the table clasping at her hand. His brow furrowed, his anger had gotten the best of him and when faced with Sue who had only been readying to insult Bella he'd not been able to stop himself.

He'd protected Bella even if it was only through words that Sue was going to say. Edward felt like his gift that was no awakened was starting to misfire, what he'd just done could have been fatal to him and his family. They were at such risk of exposure with all that was happening already he could have very likely revealed everything all by his own hand for simply being incapable of controlling it. He couldn't pull his mind away from what he'd done.

All he'd wanted was for it to stop.

He'd wanted it to just stop, the thoughts Sue was having the words that she was about to direct at Bella. The sight of them, the pack and the council celebrating about the death of his father. They had celebrated the killing of his father, Carlisle around a bonfire on the La Push beaches last night, as he'd been unaware they had shared joy at killing his father. It had been what had enraged him so much, the depravity of being that joyous, seeing those smiling faces and jokes made at his creators expense. Sue had wanted to hurt him for his killing her daughter, she'd wanted to show him how little respect they had for his leader as Edward had with disposing of Leah. She'd seen her daughter's body once the pack had returned it to her, the awful effect of the venom through her system had hollowed out portions of her face while at the same expanding and swelling areas. Leah while once would have been considered a Native American beauty was a mangled mess of distorted flesh after the poison he'd inject in her had worked its final influence. Sue hated Edward, couldn't wait until he joined his devil father on the fire and she'd made that clear. He'd wanted to kill her, even though she was human and by no means a threat to him, he'd wanted to end her for her thoughts.

" _STOP"_

He'd heard the word echoed back at him from every single mind in the room, heard the rough tenor of his own mind as it vibrated and echoed around him. His touch on Sue had seemed to claim some kind of giving her still a sense of what was happening, as every mind around him went completely silent he could still hear her panicked thoughts, that she was choking on her words she'd been about to say. He'd been lost to Bella as he'd been solely focussed on Sue, his touch making him feel like he had some strange control over the woman, as she'd pleaded to her god thinking she was dying. Edward had made the demand that she'd never insult Bella and he'd seen the moment his command not only verbal but mentally had sunk into Sue in a way that seemed to open her mind completely to Edward. As if he could see the command literally move through her thoughts and cement itself there.

Then he'd broken contact with her and everything had remained as it had before he'd done whatever it had been. He'd expected Sue to at least remember but even she like all other's seemed completely unaware, only he and Bella seemed to have seen what had happened. It scared him beyond any measure, he couldn't understand how he'd done it or what it had been that he'd done. In his anger and need for her to stop before he lost his composure it had snapped into place like it knew what to do with his expressed command. Just like it had happened before and he'd been unaware of it.

"We need to go love" Edward whispered to Bella urgent in his need to distance himself from this diner and the incident he'd just created, Bella stood from her booth reaching for his hand as Charlie was moving towards them.

"You two leaving already" Charlie said as he held two to go boxes of the food they'd wanted. The last thing on Bella's mind was eating though now, she had known it was a bad idea to let Edward close to Sue in his state. She just knew now she had to get him back to the rest of their family.

"Yes dad. Alice just called they need Edward back home for help" Bella said trying to think of some valid lie that could have them leave without questioning but not being quick enough to think of anything.

"Oh okay... I hope everything is okay?" Charlie said handing the two boxes of food to Edward as he took them without any trouble and the two of them rushed out of the diner Bella only turning back to wave at Charlie as he watched them both suspiciously. Edward had Bella's passenger side door open and was handing her the food faster then she believed appropriate with people possibly seeing but she didn't need to say anything, both were eager to place distance between themselves and the diner. Once Edward was behind the steering wheel and pulling out from the small parking lot of the diner Bella turned to him.

"What was that Edward?" Bella asked.

"I... I don't know. She just... the moment I was inside she kept thinking about it. About how they partied, celebrated killing Carlisle. While my mother is pleading for her death those fucking filthy dogs got drunk and partied taunting my father and family. Like they've beaten us, like we're all dead now. She just wouldn't stop... then she directed her attention to you and I just. I couldn't Bella. Something inside of me just had enough." Edward exhaled through his nostrils the wheels beneath his car usually smooth were squealing and tracking black marks on the road as he drove beyond the speed limit.

"If I had let her continue I don't think I would have been able to stop myself. She's human. It's one thing to kill those who do and can harm our family but she'd a human woman still angered and in grief from what I did to her daughter. I wanted too but I knew it would be far worse if I would have harmed her. I couldn't do that to Carlisle and Esme. Couldn't start killing even the humans who know of what we are, I just needed it to stop" Edward breathed as Bella placed her hand on his thigh knowing his hands needed to be doing something then so knew not to reach for them when he was tense in case he squeezed too tightly.

"The rest of them, in the diner they didn't notice. Sue didn't even seem to notice once everything went back..." Bella wasn't sure how to explain it, it had been so strange. Like Edward had stopped time but she had known he hadn't only the humans had seemed to come to a complete stop.

"No. When I gave the command to stop. I heard it in everyone's mind echoed back to me. Only Sue seemed aware as I touched her, the second I broke contact she seemed to forget. All but my command to not insult you. I had no idea what I was doing... I would have no idea how to do it again. I could have harmed them all, I didn't know what would happen" Edward reached up into his hair gripping tightly as Bella stroked his thigh trying to calm him, they should have returned home after their time away. They'd finally found some sense of even keel and then seeing Sue being present for the memories and thoughts she directed towards Edward had only brought more stress, more complications.

"It's okay Edward. The family will help you. We'll all do our best to help you control it... whatever it is. Eleazer and Kate want to help you. I'm sure everyone will" Bella tried to reassure him, she believed even Xavier and Rochelle would wish to help Edward in any way they could even if it was with his growing ability.

"We can't tell them" Edward said flatly turning to look at Bella conflicted then.

"Not yet anyway. I can't have my family concerned about me. Right now we have my mother. We have to focus on her alone. Whatever it is I can do that can wait. Right now we have to help Esme. I can't distract the family from that" Edward said and Bella could understand his desire to place Esme before himself and agreed with it but didn't feel it was the only reason. She knew Edward had hated his mind reading she could only imagine how deeply this would affect him with what it seemed he'd been able to do.

"I won't say anything. We do have to help Esme. But you should tell someone Edward. You need to know what it is you can do. I love you and I know you have so much to contend with right now. That gift. If it misfires when you don't want it too, if it awakens during a fight and only happens to some of the family and not others..." Bella paused seeing the falter in his face, as he realised what that could mean. Jasper had already said it had brought him to his knees when he'd heard it during the fight with the newborns. In the diner the entire room had frozen, he couldn't risk it happening when the family were trying to defend themselves, his gift could if he wasn't in control, harm them. He needed to take care of Esme, he needed to help her through this and give her the freedom to make her own choice but then... then he needed to learn this gift completely. He refused to be the wild card in his family that could bring about their destruction.

"I'll tell them. Not today but I will. Once Esme has made her choice. Once she's ready to make her choice I'll tell the rest of the family. With or without my ability though Bella. The pack only have time now, they have borrowed time we've let them live far too long. They've taken enough from my family" Edward said and instead of any argument or half hearted attempt to persuade Edward not to hunt those members of the pack Bella nodded simply leaning closer to Edward and kissing beneath his jaw. The sides were drawn up, she couldn't save them now. Not when even she wanted blood for what they'd taken not only from the man she loved but herself too.

It seemed the clock was ticking.

Time was running closer to the end.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N Hey everyone, a little later in the day to be getting this up or maybe it's earlier for you guys I'm not sure. I just wanted to say thank you to everyone the support and amount of you guys still around is still astounding to me. I hope you all are enjoying what this story has been giving you, even with a busy schedule I've been trying to put aside time during my weeks to keep writing. I do believe I've found myself a BETA now and after this chapter I should have each chapter being edited before I post which will mean less mistakes that I miss. Though you guys have been real nice about anything you may have noticed, I felt I should address a comment that has been mentioned not only in reviews but also in a couple of PM's sent to me.**

 **Many have made comments about why hasn't Edward just used his mind reading to hear all the way into La Push so he can see what is going on with the pack. Many have also said he did this to see that Bella was hurt. Edward didn't hear Jakes thoughts from Cullen land all the way into La Push he heard Jakes shared thoughts after he shifted in Paul and Embry's mind while they were patrolling the border. Edward cannot hear from the border deeply into La Push, perhaps if one of the Cullen's were in La Push he'd be able to use his ability to hear that distance but in my mind that distance is too far for his range. Unless there is a means for him to have a way, if the pack had some on the border and then more shifted deeper in La Push yes he'd hear but that's all due to the shared mind of the pack. I hope that cleared it up and please if you still have questions I'm willing to answer, much of Edward's ability is going to come to light soon. I've stated many times now his gift is developing that it isn't simply mind reading that his mind reading is simply an extension of what his gift is. Anyway sorry for the long author note I'll let you guys get to the chapter...**

 **Oh and _Tissue Warning_ guys...**

 **Enjoy :)**

 **RED DAWN**

 **SUMMARY:** Edward had always warned Bella that the pack were dangerous. Hostile, volatile and aggressive in nature. She ignored him, testing even Edward's own vampire instinct by staying friends with his enemy, Jacob. One event will change them all, Bella never truly understood the supernatural world. Didn't understand the aggression that lay dormant even in her controlled mate until it was too late. Warning: Violence and Character death.

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the Characters.**

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty-One**

Edward stood his arm leaning lazily against the shelving over the fireplace. The heated temperature was harsh against his cool skin as he listened to the minds of his family. Rosalie was still sending insults in his direction. She had struggled against even parting from Esme when he'd returned it had only been under Bella's own pleading and promise of staying with Esme that had eventually thawed Rose's cold attitude towards him. Her anger towards Edward had only grown further after the confrontation that he'd shared with Emmet. While Emmet was already past it, never one to hold any type of grudge Rosalie would be willing to hold a grudge for the both of them. Edward had only been relieved that her soured attitude had not been seen to move onto Bella also. Edward knew of how temperamental Rose could be, and in the past wouldn't have put it past her to be less then polite to Bella simply due to her anger directed at him.

Xavier and Rochelle had opted to distance themselves from the meeting that Edward had called, he'd met them sitting on the porch swing outside of the house on his arrival back with Bella. Neither had felt they were well known enough or even welcome to even add their own opinion on what Xavier assumed this meeting was about. While they would stand behind whatever Edward and his family needed of them, facing and helping one of their kind who had lost a mate wasn't something either of them felt they would know how to deal with. Also not knowing anyone other than Edward they didn't feel they could offer any real sense of comfort to those within the family, they didn't want to step on any toes as Xavier had said. Especially with tempers at the breaking point.

Edward had respected their wishes and offered them his car should they wish to distance themselves further but they'd both rejected that idea. The thought of a threat had at least kept them a close proximity to the Cullen house. Edward felt truly grateful for how loyal Xavier still was too him and felt he'd not honoured his once friend in keeping his distance for so many decades. He would change that now, if he could bring all of them through these trying times alive and safe. He would make sure to always have a place for both Xavier and Rochelle for their willingness to defend his family. Even though they had spent much of their existence since finding each other sticking more to the human world then the immortal one he respected how completely set they both were in defending him and his family. Xavier and Rochelle were truly friends that he should have not allowed to become strangers throughout the decades, he should have shown Xavier the loyalty he had shown him in coming to Forks in Edward's time of need.

Alice and Jasper both stood to the far left corner of the room, Alice had her own disagreements with what Jasper and Edward had tried to do to Esme with their combined gifts. While she'd understood their desperate attempt to ease her pain, she hadn't been happy to be left out from talking about it. Alice was also angered by the way Edward had clearly had Jasper abuse his gift, not only against their vulnerable mother but the fact Jasper hadn't pushed himself to the degrees he had with Esme since his departure from Maria's coven. While it hadn't seemed to bring back any of the regret and shame that was normally accompanied with anything that reminded Jasper of his time before Alice. She's was aware that it may come at some point and that she'd be the one who would have to pick up the pieces with Jasper, knowing that no other would be able to offer him the kind of comfort he'd need.

While understanding she was still annoyed, not enough so that she'd make things difficult and Edward was relieved. He already had Rosalie to fend off, he knew his family weren't going to be welcoming of what he was about to say. Even he wasn't okay with what he was about to declare to his family, it felt wrong and a betrayal to Carlisle's very memory but he couldn't make this choice for Esme. The family had been angered when he'd attempted to do something without their input now he'd give them just that. It all came down to his broken mother upstairs lying in Bella's arms. He'd do anything to save her any kind of suffering. Even if that meant freeing her, and in turn forcing not only himself but his family to suffer the choice if she decided upon it.

"I know many of you are disappointed in me. I won't give you excuses for some of my actions. I don't believe it'll help any of us, with me trying to explain them either. Some of you feel I've not given you the blood you desire" Edward's eyes turned to Kate and Tanya, both women who had done exceptional jobs of forcing down the pain of losing Irina. Both of them, far better at controlling that grief and rage that had festered inside of them.

He should have given them free reign with Jasper to make plans. He'd not done so, still trying to fix all the relationship in his life. Trying to bring himself and Bella close again, without the blockades they'd allowed to become erect. Then he'd tried to give Carlisle the time to adapt to what was happening, he'd taken lead but not been ready to force Carlisle to follow orders either. It had cost them all now, his father was dead, and Irina was dead.

"Some of you feel I lack the compassion and care for my family in the harder times to help. That I would abuse the gifts I posses and those of my family because I'm a coward" Edward directed to Rosalie this time completely knowing that she'd believed him only selfishly trying to save himself then really help Esme through this devastating time. Rosalie merely tried to ignore Edward, not looking towards him as she crossed her arms across her chest.

"I can understand how some of you would feel this way. It's true I did try to abuse my gift and Jasper's to force my will onto a weak and vulnerable Esme. I had hoped I could use my developing gift to somehow reach inside of her mind and make the pain lesser for her. I wanted to keep her alive and save her any suffering. I also did it for the selfish intent of not wishing to hear her agony. I selfishly wanted to save Jasper the crippling loss that he shares with her. I am selfish, I dealt with it incorrectly. Our mother needed me to be more compassionate and understanding and instead I tried to force my will upon her without giving her the choice" Edward explained further looking between all the present members, Jasper even looking ready to interject not liking that Edward was taking the complete blame for the plan to use their combined talents against Esme to try and help her.

"Believe me I do not want to make this decision. I never wanted to be a leader I was happy being lead and sitting back only to help when my family needed me. I've brought upon us all of which threatens to take from our family. I carry that guilt, shame that my choices have lead to my father's death. That my choices have lead to the death of Irina and have harmed many of you. While I can't promise to know, if I will always make the right choice, I can promise to be open with you all. I will never take from you the choice to stand or step away. That is why I have to give Esme the choice" Edward said and for a brief moment everyone in the room was silent as they tried to contemplate what Edward meant by his decision to give Esme the choice.

Until the reality, of what Edward had said settled in.

Slowly each member of the family coming to the realization that Edward would grant Esme whatever she desired. Then, finally, they knew exactly what that would mean. They'd all heard the things said earlier, even while not part of the conversation. They realised Edward was going to allow Esme's destruction if she wished for it.

"You really are a monster" Rose shouted standing to her feet instantly as Emmet took hold of her arm to stop her from charging towards Edward as he stood firmly before the fire place. His demeanour firm and set in his choice even if deep in his eyes you could see the beginnings of his will shattering. He'd wished he could have had Bella with him but right now his mother needed her more than he did.

"Rose please stop..." Emmet pleaded not wanting for this all to escalate again, he'd already taken things farther than it had needed to go earlier when he'd tackled Edward.

"No, Emmet he's talking about just letting her decide to die. I won't let you, this isn't your choice to make you aren't our leader Edward. We don't follow you" Rose snarled savagely, Edward understood her anger though her own grief of losing a father in Carlisle many forgot that Rose had been with both Esme and Carlisle for almost as long as he had.

While she'd never been as open about them being her parents, as other's had they had cared for her in a time when she'd been very volatile and vulnerable. Her violent end and beginning to this world had only brought her through to the other side by the love Carlisle and Esme had both given her. While never openly affectionate outside of her shared bond with her mate, Rosalie had seen both Carlisle and Esme as her true parents, even with her memory of her humans ones present she'd found in Carlisle and Esme the parents she'd lacked as a human.

"We do. We've all followed him from the beginning" Jasper said while he'd remained silent when Edward had taken the blame for their attempt on Esme he wouldn't allow his brother to be verbally attacked by Rose while angry and grieving.

"Of course you would stand by him. You're nothing more than a battle scarred warrior, a pretender. You were never really one of us..." Rose yelled lashing out angrily at Jasper as Alice hissed her eyes turning black as Jasper held her arm to keep his pixie mate from leaping for Rose.

"That is enough" Edward snarled, the sound of his very voice deep and gravelly, vibrated around the room with a cold domineering quality that made all of the members in the room shudder under his command.

"This is no more my choice then it is yours Rosalie. You want to force her to live, you would have her slowly become less the woman we have known our entire existence. You would force our mother to not only live frozen with that grief of losing her child as a human, but now the grief of losing our father. It is not my choice, it is not your choice. The choice is Esme's alone. Neither you nor I will take that from her, she has had enough taken from her. You can hate me but that is how it will be. Esme will have her choice just like any of us would want" Edward said with his darkened tone, he didn't want this to escalate anymore then Emmet but he knew how things could become too much.

He'd seen the clear intentions of Alice, to take Rose out when she'd attacked Jasper. It had always been a touchy subjects his ability to resist human blood. He was still, very new to this lifestyle, after so much of his existence spent feeding from humans. Attacking Jasper's control was often to Alice the worst kind of betrayal any of her family could commit against her, she could accept anything but any of them doubting her mate. Knowing each time someone doubted him it only broke down so much progress Jasper made as he began to doubt himself all over again. Rosalie's words to Alice in that moment had been a declaration that she didn't accept Jasper or believe him part of the family, she couldn't have harmed Alice more with even physical blows then with what she'd just uttered.

"Edward, are you sure? We could give her more time. More time to see if she would come out from this pain...grief. It is still very fresh she may. She might come through, she is strong I believe this" Carmen said with wide sympathetic eyes, Eleazer pressing his hand over Carmen's hand, resting on her knee as she turned to look at her husband seeing the silent message in his eyes and then turning away and sobbing tearlessly understanding.

"While I don't wish to think over this choice. While I still can't believe he's gone, we all know what happens to our kind without our mates. It is a tale as old as our kind. We either seek destruction or we seek the destruction of those who took from us. In the end the only choice is that the vampire left behind does not live long after the death of their mate" Eleazer said sadly shaking his head as he tried to comfort his upset mate.

"Carlisle will hate you. He was disgusted by you and now is it any surprise how he felt about you as you plan to help aid the woman he loved die. You Edward Masen are not worthy of his name, you are a disgrace... I hope you burn in hell for this" Rose continued spitting her vitriol and rage toward Edward seeing that all those around her were going to agree to give Esme the choice.

Now trying to break Edward down enough, to harm and break him emotionally that he'd question himself. That he'd believe her words as he had in the past, all those times before when all she'd needed to do was help aid his self loathing and doubt to make him make choices in favour of what she wanted. She would do that again now, she didn't care the upheaval it may cause her brother as now she desperately tried to attempt to keep Esme alive even if that meant forcing her to live.

 _"That is enough Rosalie"_

Bella cradled Esme against her body she'd taken Rosalie's place once she'd finally agreed to leave to join the rest of the family for the meeting. Rosalie had been reluctant but she'd eventually agreed. While Bella wished that she could be there and help Edward, should he need her for moral support she'd also been aware that she wasn't nearly brave enough to face the conversation they were having. It was one thing to both agree in a car with no others to hear and judge now she feared the reaction her family would have to them giving Esme her choice. Seeing Esme when she'd first walked into her bedroom had almost brought Bella to tears, she'd always been so strong and maternal seeing her broken outwardly.

Her soft pleas that came out as whispers, just one look at Edward's pained eyes could tell Bella all she couldn't hear inside of Esme's thoughts. Even as Rose had tried to keep Edward from entering the room, Esme had turned towards him hand weakly extended and calling his name. Like he was the very answer to her prayers, she'd have done anything to protect Edward from that pain but Esme's was far greater.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. So sorry" Esme sobbed her hands moving to cover her face, Bella almost fearing that her rigged fingers would dig into the perfect smooth skin of her heart shaped face as Esme dragged her hands over her face.

"Shush Esme. You have nothing to be sorry for. Not a thing at all. We're here we won't leave you. We all love you so much" Bella tried her best to sooth the woman who had become a second mother to her, stroking her caramel coloured hair back softly. All while knowing and seeing that her words and touch offered Esme nothing that her tenderness to this wonderful woman only seemed to break her down more.

"I can't. I can't do this. I need him, my Carlisle. He's alone and I can't leave him alone. I need to be with him, nothing left for me now but pain" Esme sobbed roughly between her words moving her hands from her face and looking into Bella's eyes deeply and Bella was rocked to the core at just how deeply empty Esme's eyes looked. Esme's eyes black in colour a distinct glaze to them from the built up venom that prevented her from shedding real tears. She looked broken and hollow, Bella felt she didn't know a way to ever be able to offer Esme any comfort.

"I'm so sorry Esme" Bella whispered wrapping her arms around Esme and hugging her trying to choke back the cry that was building in her own throat.

"They burned him. Burned my Carlisle and left him... oh god they left his beautiful. His face... and... and I couldn't... so Edward had too and I should have been strong enough but I wasn't. So now Edward will... he'll always remember, my fault my son and he'll always remember his father that way" Esme was slowly becoming more hysterical and Bella wasn't sure she understood what Esme was saying.

She understood that she was worried about Edward. Bella didn't think Esme was weak at all, the fact she seemed even here seemed to show more strength then Bella knew. She'd remembered what she had become when Edward had left her, months of being nothing, of completely being shut away from the world, detached. Bella was positive if something should happen to Edward, should she lose him she'd want the choice to take her life too. Even as a human she'd do it if she lost him, there would be no point to this life now without him. It was more terrifying then she could ever voice faced with this heartbreaking scenario where Esme was no longer beside Carlisle. Where two once believed indestructible immortals, were forced apart by the death of the other.

"Nothing is your fault Esme. You're strong, so strong. What happened is so terrible, we'll help you if you need us we're all here to help you however you want" Bella whispered pulling back and cupping Esme's cheek tenderly and pressing a kiss to her forehead as Esme's hands twisted in Bella's shirt tightly, stitching in the shirt sounding little snaps under her strength.

"I need... Need to go to them. They're arguing... I don't want them to turn on one another. It's my choice. Not his fault need to stop this. Bella please" Esme said and surprised Bella as Esme moved a little shakily which was strange but Bella was there beside her as Esme moved from the bed moving towards the door quickly. Bella didn't know where Esme was finding the will power to do anything but cry, but it seemed she couldn't take the arguing or whatever was happening downstairs, Bella only hoped that Edward was okay.

Bella found herself following closely behind Esme as they came to the stair case and Bella could already hear the disagreement from the top of the stairs. The sound of hissed and growled response of not words but just sound, she'd always found that one of the especially strange parts of them being vampires. The way they created certain sounds, that seemed to have some level of meaning all in to themselves. Like Edward and his family could have a, somewhat conversation just from growls and hisses. She'd even believed she'd heard a strange purr like moan that had vibrated in Edward's chest when he'd reached his climax in the car earlier as she'd cried out in her own pleasure filled whimper.

Her thoughts had been quickly taken away from the earlier events in Edward's car as she heard Rosalie yelling at Edward and felt her own anger build. For all the good she'd seen recently in Edward and Rosalie's relationship it seemed that the two were falling back to old habits in the harder times. Bella wasn't sure if it was just because they couldn't see eye to eye, or if Rosalie resented the fact that the rest of the family viewed Edward as the leader of their family. Or at least believed that was his rightful place.

"Carlisle will hate you. He was disgusted by you and now is it any surprise how he felt about you as you plan to help aid the woman he loved die. You Edward Masen are not worthy of his name, you are a disgrace... I hope you burn in hell for this" Bella had felt the sick twisting in her gut at what Rose had said and couldn't believe the hateful words that spewed from her mouth. Bella had been ready to move ahead of Esme to defend Edward believing he may not attempt to do so if he felt he deserved it. He'd come so far and she feared constantly that his self loathing would resurface under all that had happened, she wasn't sure how he'd survive if it was to return now, she didn't want him to have to carry all that hatred for himself any longer.

"That is enough Rosalie" Esme said more strongly then she'd had said anything since finding Carlisle.

All the family turned to look at Esme shocked to see her out of her room, let alone standing before them all. Jasper could feel the determination behind her emotions, while the grief and pain clung to her like a heavy cloud that weighed her down he could see determination just about forcing its way through it. Only Edward could find the meaning behind how Esme had found the determination to push through her grief, hearing them decide to give her the choice Esme had seen her escape from the pain. Her freedom to join Carlisle, she truly believed in her death they would be reunited and with Edward allowing her choice she couldn't risk allowing anyone, even Rosalie coming between that. Her determination and strength came from a place of protecting and loving Edward but also seeing the end in sight, she'd hold strong just long enough to get her escape from her pain.

It broke Edward's heart even more seeing how truly desperate for death she was, he'd let this become of her. One of the kindest women he'd ever known, she was an innocent to this world and now she was ruined.

The pack would pay Edward would swear upon his dying breath that he'd make them suffer for this.

"You can say whatever you wish of your own opinion but you will not make comments on what my husband felt for his first son. I love you all, you are my children. I will not have you tearing each other apart because of what I want. This isn't Edward's fault any more then it is any one of yours. My husband is gone. My mate who gave me so much happiness is gone. I will not be forced to live a life of emptiness. I love you all and I know while I may have not wanted you to make this choice, which I myself am. I need you to love me enough to let me go. I can't do this not without him. Please don't make me" Esme said strongly as she moved down the stairs moving to Rosalie and cupping her daughters cheek as Rose tried to turn away from looking at her, as Bella moved to Edward's side.

"I understand" Esme whispered as Rosalie crumbled and began to sob harshly as Esme pulled Rosalie into her arms, both woman while not seen as openly close to many had shared a very close friendship when Rose had first awoken to this life. Rosalie who had been still traumatised by her attack hadn't been able to be too close to either Carlisle or Edward. It had taken Esme's loving embrace and maternal nature to help Rosalie through her agony. Through accepting the betrayal of her human fiancée and seeing what the life Carlisle had given her would mean to her.

"You can't blame Edward. Rosie you can't. He's your brother, he doesn't want this anymore then you do. He understands, he was there. I didn't understand it then but I do now, that feeling. I pray you never know it my sweet girl. Don't turn on him, he needs you now just like you needed him then" Esme said pulling away from the embrace, holding Rose's face in her hands referring to when Rose had moved past her grief and then the anger had come forward.

When Rosalie had turned to Edward, for his guidance in things that Esme and Carlisle couldn't and wouldn't give her, in the rage that had felt like an ocean drowning her. When Rose had desired to take the lives of the men who had dared touch her, the men who had taken her human life from her. He'd helped her plan and find every single one of them, he'd even offered to take them from this world to save her carrying that sin. In a time when she'd been very much impressed by his beauty and talents but had been angry at his rejection of her, they had been close friends before she'd become bitter at his turning her away. They'd never truly recovered, they loved each other as brother and sister but she'd always held a grudge at his ability to turn her away. Rose knew that, her vanity was not a secret amongst her family.

"Please don't..." Rose begged once more wishing to reach a part in Esme's maternal nature to make her make a different choice then the one they all knew she would.

"Rose, it's okay. Rose we... we have to love her enough to do the right thing. She's done that for us" Emmet whispered for only his mate's ears as he moved up behind her, she'd been there to hold him together when they'd found Carlisle now he'd have to hold her together.

Edward stood away from the scene as he tried to keep in control of his emotions, Bella stood strongly by his side holding his hand and nestling closer to his body. They watched as Esme moved from each of them, every single one of the family members sharing soft kisses and tender touches. Whispered words of comfort that would never truly sooth any of them, he could see what his mother was doing, she was saying her goodbyes. She was ready and she wouldn't prolong her wait, she believed she would be with Carlisle soon. Edward only wished that he could offer some way to keep her alive or offer some way to bring Carlisle back to her. He didn't want to lose her, didn't want to let go of his father either. It was cruel enough losing his human parents, them both dying from the flu that would and should have killed him, now he would once again be an orphan to this world.

Once again he'd have to face the pain of losing his parents.

Edward had to turn away when Esme addressed Jasper as she cupped his scarred cheeks and pressed her lips to his forehead pulling him down and telling him she loved him. The overwhelming emotions that had flooded from Jasper under her love and care and the reality that she was going to be gone felt like Edward's heart was breaking all over again as Jasper unintentionally pushed his emotions around the room. Edward had needed to wrap his arms around Bella as she'd broken down into sobs under her own sorrow and then the added power of Jasper's ability. Even Tanya and Kate's stoic expressions had faltered and they'd exited the room quickly, unable to stay any longer. Carmen hadn't faired any better as Eleazer had escorted her away from the room not far behind the Denali sister's. Still dealing with the grief of losing Irina facing this was just making it harder for them to deal with their already built pain. They were all in a sea of regret and agony now, no one would be saved from this pain, and forever they would carry these traumatic losses.

"You'll have to protect him. He'll need you more than ever Bella. I know my son and he won't... What I'm asking of him, it might break him and I'm so very sorry that I'm going to hurt him this way. I can only hope you can forgive me" Esme said softly between her own jerky response as Bella cried hugging Esme tightly and pressing her head against her chest her arms tightly wrapped around her. Esme even in her desperation for her end knew the selfish reality of what this would do to her sensitive son, he'd feel honour bound to do it even though it would hurt him. She couldn't do it without him though.

"I'm so sorry I won't be there to see you marry my son. I know you'll make a beautiful bride, I love you Bella. I couldn't have asked for a better match for Edward. You've made me so happy by making my son smile" Esme said softly kissing Bella's cheeks not concerned by the stitching as Esme finally turned her gaze to Edward.

Esme then extending her hand out to Edward to take as he slowly but clearly reluctantly took it, knowing what she'd ask of him now. Knowing where this conversation ended, knowing that once she asked it of him he'd never refuse and it would forever change him.

"Take a walk with me" Esme whispered and the rest of the family watched, Emmet still holding Rosalie tightly as she cried hysterically. Alice and Jasper whispering between each other, trying to sooth each other as Alice kissed under his jaw were a gathering of scars were on his face.

Edward's eyes turned to Bella her heartbreaking expression, tears stained down her cheeks as he looked at her, his eyes pleading for some way to refuse Esme but all knew he wouldn't. They all knew that only one of them would be coming back from this walk, they all knew that Esme would never be coming back.

Her choice had been made.

None of them could make it for her even if they wished they could.

"Okay" Edward croaked roughly, Esme's hand entwining with his fingers.

Edward felt every step through his entire body as he walked beside his mother, out of the home she'd all but designed and helped build by hand. She'd always taken such great care in preparing all the homes that they had lived in, he'd remembered when she'd first started to learn about architecture and interior design. Edward remembered the giggled laughing and humoured teasing she and Carlisle had shared during the eighties when she'd decided that she'd wanted to join the others of the family in going to college. She'd wanted to refresh her degrees and her knowledge with more modern themes and she'd wanted to be closer to her children. It had been such a refreshing moment for them all when Esme had instead of posing as their mother taken to being a sibling too, it was often so easy to forget just how close in age they truly were.

Esme and Edward had posed as brother and sister during that decade as they'd attended college together. They hadn't done so since her early creation when the time and traditions could have never expected such a young couple as Carlisle and Esme's age to have a son at Edward's age. Very much close in some of their similarities they'd been able to place that lie many times during her early life of this existence, never did Edward ever believe that a time would come when he'd have to face her end now too. Edward had been there the day Carlisle had brought her home tormented by what he'd done and what she'd tried to do, he'd been so scared she'd been too weak for the change but Edward had stood strong then for Carlisle and helped prepare his mate for her new life. Edward had been there at the very beginning of her second life, now he would have to see out the end of it.

There was no words spoken between them as they walked at a human pace together, Edward didn't turn around to watch those of his family watch them go. To turn around and face them now would break his resolve to help Esme and he couldn't do that to her, as in her mind he listened to her goodbyes and her love. Most of all it was her peaceful acceptance that this was her time, for how violently Carlisle had been taken from her Esme had come to the decision that now was her time to pass from this world. To Esme if Carlisle wasn't here to help her and guide her to the next part of her life then it would have to be her son, the one she'd awoken too. Edward listened to her regret, her choice to need his assistance worrying her even now as she saw her death coming she thought of him and his struggle. So selfless even in her own pain she would worry about him first, about what her death and how she'd need his hand to bring it for her would affect him. Edward held his own fear and agony at bay for his mother granting her these final moments as she walked with him, as they walked hand in hand through the forest of their home together.

As Esme took in the beauty of the world and remembering herself and Carlisle running free through these forests, hunting animals and making love and Edward tried his best to allow her the privacy she deserved.

Both of them knowing, where this walk would lead them to in the end.

Both, knowing that there was no other alternative that could be found.

One accepting of the fate of this walk, the other still wishing there was a solution to the problem but knowing it was in vain.

"Do not carry my death on your soul Edward. You will not feel guilt for this, you must promise me that" Esme said softly finally breaking the silence as they broke through to a small opening in the forest a steady stream about ten yards in front of them.

Esme had chosen her place, she didn't want to be ended where her husband had, didn't want that violent reminder now. She would have her death where they had last made love. It would be here she'd breathe her final breath, with the memories of her love and her son at her side.

"I don't know how I can't carry this upon myself. Look what I've done to our family. Look at what my choices have done to you... my mother. I've broken us" Edward said feeling the regret and guilt building in his chest, he was failing them all. Carlisle, Esme, Bella, his siblings, the Denali's he was no leader.

"You didn't break us Edward. You'll have to fix this though. I won't be here to help and I'm so sorry I'm not strong enough to do that for you but you'll have to help them now. Carlisle loved you, there was a strain but that never changed. Rose is upset and scared what she said it isn't true, and while I said many things I regret in the clearing, I too love you and don't blame you Edward. You can't blame yourself, this life it wasn't easy for you and I'm so sorry it is still expecting more of you still. You have Bella though now, I have to believe she'll help you. That you'll help each other, she's stronger now. You both are" Esme moved to turn to Edward reaching up and cupping his chin to make him look into her eyes.

"Are you sure? Are you sure this is what you want? We don't... we don't have to do this now. If you aren't sure we can go home, together. We can pretend..." Edward found the words spilling from his lips as Esme looked into his sad sorrow filled eyes her eyes equally as pained while she shook her head to reply to him.

"We can't pretend Edward. My beautiful boy, I couldn't have loved you more if you were my true biological son. Not a day since I woke to this life was I more grateful to Carlisle for not only giving me love but giving me a son I could truly love and heal the pain of losing my child" Esme said softly and Edward felt the fractures of his heart shatter at her words as his lip all but trembled and his vision stung, the lenses that covered his eye disintegrating under the build up of venom over his eyes. Slowly working away at the lenses until his dark burgundy eyes were revealed to Esme.

"I can't do this Esme. Please don't ask it of me" Edward begged softly turning his face away not able to look at her, he knew she would ask it of him still. Knew that this would be his burden to carry, like he had been the one to burn the remaining part of his father he would be the one to help Esme move past this life too.

"You can Edward and you will. I need you, I needed you to be here because... you were there in the beginning and I need you there at the end. I can only apologise that I'll hurt you in my need for the end, I couldn't face this without you though because I'm scared... and you are the bravest man I know" Esme said truly believing what she said as Edward shook his head not believing her mind or her words, his chest heaving against silent tears he could not shed.

"You are. You are so brave. You've faced so much, you've lived with so much. You didn't burden your father when you believed Bella gone, you knew it would break his heart and so you found the strength to go to Aro. You knew you couldn't live without her and instead of crying and hurting our family you went to those who could help you, I didn't understand then. I do now Edward and while my death will hurt you all it would have hurt you more if I chose to live on, if I had slowly become less of who I am until I was nothing but a shell. You've faced so much, you've faced shifters, volatile vampires, you've even faced your singer and not given in to the thirst, you have exposed yourself to a human and then faced the Volturi knowing you'd broken their rules and lived. You are the bravest man I've ever known and I couldn't be prouder of my son and who you have become." Esme said firmly wanting to make sure that Edward knew that she didn't blame him for anything, that she loved him and was proud of him. She couldn't let him carry the guilt, not after he'd been progressing so well, she truly did believe he was brave, so much braver then he'd ever given himself credit for.

"I'll miss you" Edward said roughly, his hands at his side tightening almost too painful levels as he tried to channel this agony someplace else away from his mind and heart.

"All children should outlive their parents Edward. It's the natural cause of life. I'll be here" Esme placed her hand over Edward's silent heart, while both knew it no longer beat Esme believed it still just as strong as any other heart if not more so.

"I'll never truly leave you. I'll always be your mother and Carlisle your father. We both love you and we'll watch over you together. We'll never be far Edward I promise you that" Esme said once again showing the strength of her faith, where for so long his own faith had made him believe himself not worthy of heaven Carlisle and Esme had always believed differently.

"Do you still believe we don't possess a soul?" Esme asked as Edward felt himself lurch almost, as if his stomach could empty the contents that weren't there. For so long Edward had argued with Carlisle over the soul he believed he'd lost by becoming what he was and now here he stood, Carlisle dead and Esme ready to join him and she wished to know if they had a soul.

"I know that there would have to be no god for you and Carlisle to not possess a soul. For all my belief you and he are worthy, I can't imagine either of you being soulless, for so long I challe... I challenged Carlisle. I wish I could have told him that I didn't see myself as two parts the man and the beast and instead I am both a man of great darkness and tender goodness. We have a soul Esme. You have a soul, of course you do" Edward whispered now placed his hand back in his mothers squeezing her hand softly as she looked into his burgundy eyes with her own golden ones.

"Then I'm ready Edward. I'm ready son" Esme said softly moving slowly away from Edward and closer to the stream that silently ran through the forest, offering an almost melodic soothing tone around them. It was nightfall by now, the moon high casting a beautiful glow around them, the forest coming to life in a different way to their enhanced eyes. In a few hours the sun would rise and Edward knew that Esme would not see it, that this was to be her final moments, she was ready. He only hoped he was ready to help her pass through this life, hoped that she was rewarded for her faith and that his father was waiting for her as she hoped.

" _I'm scared. I'm so scared but I want this. Need to be with him"_

Edward listened silently to her mind seeing the fear, which was settling inside of her the natural vampire instinct to continue to survive their instincts so very strong. Even now as she was accepting of her death, even though her body wanted this, long buried instincts demanded for her to keep on. Edward couldn't bear to witness her struggle as if he reached out to her, like a slowly throbbing pulse echoed around him sharpening his mind even more then he'd ever felt before until he felt like his mind was completely linked to his mother's. He was unaware as once again his eyes illuminated in the dark forest shining brightly blood red with flecks of golden around the iris. His mind linked to the only mind around him for miles, then as her mind seemed to numb to him then he rested his gentle large hand behind her neck his other arm wrapping around her stomach.

The position both gentle and intimate, any who would have come across it would have believed them lovers but it was nothing more than a gentle loving embrace as Edward finally worked his gift in a way he'd not been able to do so before. His need to help his mother, to ease this pain for her and the fear in those final moments, that still lingering rage at those who had done this too her he seemed to move on instinct to help her.

" _You see him. Carlisle he's there. Just ahead he's been waiting mother. He's been waiting and now he's ready for you to join him. He's ready Esme, it doesn't have to hurt anymore. You don't need to be scared"_

Edward's mind didn't roar this command now as Esme's mind seemed to become a whisper of images instead of thoughts, Edward watching her mind as she seemed to transport from where she was. Now she stood in a yellow field large and Carlisle stood across from her, he didn't look like the Carlisle they knew. No, the image that seemed to come to Esme's mind was one he'd once seen through Aro's memories that he'd taken from Carlisle's creator's very mind. Of the youthful human man with his basic clothing of his time, with tan skin and bright blue eyes and dirty blonde hair. He was human and reaching out for Esme in her mind and Edward watched contentedly as Esme seemed to reach out to the ghost before her, like she'd been taken from the world she was once in. Giving her the gift of a peaceful end, something so very rare for their kind, something that never truly happened for any of them.

" _You can go to him mother. We will miss you, we will love you forever. Its okay now, you can join him. We want you to be happy, we want you both to be happy. We love you Esme. I love you mother"_

Edward's final words were a caress, while his arm loosened from around her stomach his touch remained on the base of her neck, still Edward watched. Almost hypnotised by what he was seeing conjured in her mind, his ability to place his thoughts had helped her in creating an illusion and she was living her dream. Her eyes closed to the world around them but her mind wide awake and living in a world far from this one he would remain in, he hoped that this would be what welcomed her once he took care of the task that he'd been asked to do for her. Edward watched, saw how Esme ran to Carlisle in her mind, watched with batted breath and broken heart as he watched his mother and father come together clinging to each other and then as they promised forever and Esme kissed Carlisle passionately.

Edward moved then.

It was quicker then she'd have ever been able to notice, the image in her mind, the contentedness and happiness that seeped through her mind almost paused before it faded to complete blackness. Edward forced his own mind away from the task that he was carrying out trying to place his mind elsewhere instead of seeing what he was doing. He felt the feeling of vampire limb remove from the body, he didn't look to see her once beautiful face, sagged he couldn't look at her. Seeing Carlisle had been cruel enough and this time it was so much worse as he'd been the one to bring about her end. Edward moved almost like a machine on autopilot, he moved fast and precise as he moved Esme's body on the ground and then set her remains ablaze. The vampire body so strong and resistant to destruction, that the only true way to destroy one of their kind, was for the limbs to be removed, the exposed venom the true aid in burning their kind quickly. The death had she sought it out without help would have been prolonged and even more agonizing then even the transformation into this life. She had been spared that, she had never known pain, in her end she had found something unknown to all others, she had gone happily, peacefully.

His last gift to his mother had been her destruction.

Only then.

Only then once the job was done and her body began to burn, did he finally break. His trance like state and silence ended, as Edward looked up into the sky and screamed into the night brokenly. Like a dying animals howl of pain and trauma, as he tried to expel from his very body what he'd just had to do. He felt like his body continued to tremble throughout the remaining night as he kneeled before his mother's burning body until it became ash. Edward cried into his hands while he begged for forgiveness, while she'd told him not to carry this guilt he didn't know how to deal with what he'd done. He'd destroyed his own mother. He'd burned his father's remains, he didn't know how he could ever move past this. Only the hate inside of him made him know that he had an enemy to direct this pain at, that his only saving graces in this world now was Bella and his desire to kill the pack that had brought about this cruel fate.

No one came to find Edward as the sky lightened above him, his family no doubt still struggling with what was to happen, the fear that they would never understand. That they would forever blame him for what he'd just done, even if it had been her desire to have her end come to pass. The only peace his mind could find was that he'd somehow reached into her mind and given her a peaceful, happy end. Esme hadn't felt pain, she hadn't known her end was coming, in those final moments she'd not even noticed Edward was there. She'd been in Carlisle's arms in her mind kissing him once again and telling him she loved him, for all his wrong doing he hoped that would at least offer some peace to him in the future when he could see around the grief of his mother and father's death.

As the early morning sky slowly brightened the once light blue morning Edward knew that he could no longer remain with his mother's ashes that he would have to return to his home and face his family. The overwhelming desire to return to Bella's open arms and have her take away his pain was all too appealing. Finally as he brushed his mother's ashes into the flowing stream and watched as what remained of his mother simply washed away, silently praying as he had done over Carlisle's ashes before. Hoping that the two of them were both united together on the other side and that they were happy again, that they would no longer suffer.

He loved them both, loved them just as much as he had loved his human parents. He'd lost them and he knew he'd carry that loss just as heavily as he had his human parent's deaths. Forever Carlisle and Esme would be a part of him not even death could remove that. They had been his guides and helped shape the man he'd tried to become, Edward swore he'd forever honour the Cullen name and what it stood for. He would end the threats and then they would leave Forks, they would never return and they would live as a family, they would protect human life and they would restrain from the desires that they had always planned to reject.

To honour Carlisle and Esme and the lifestyle they had lived by he would do his best to keep his family together and teach of compassion and love. Just as Esme and Carlisle had both tried to do. Now was a time of war, but it would not always be a time of such bloodshed, eventually they would move past this. They would survive he'd make sure of that, all of the family would and then they would take time away from the human world to heal themselves and help Bella learn control in her newborn life as one of them. They would miss Carlisle and Esme for as long as they lived but there death would never be forgotten and Edward would certainly not allow it to go unpunished. Like he knew he was both the man and the beast the family would both be compassionate and avenging, never again would this become of them.

Edward would never allow it again.

When Edward finally reached his home his family were already all waiting in the living room, Xavier and Rochelle were both seated in the living room now. As were the new arrivals of Peter and Charlotte with word that Garret would not be coming. When Jasper had last had contact with Peter and Charlotte, garret had been with them approaching the area, once he'd heard of Carlisle's destruction he had decided against coming. While Edward had been angered by this he understood that Garret's loyalty had been to Carlisle and not him, he was still thankful to Peter and Charlotte for coming at Jasper's need.

The family had wanted to talk about what had happened, Rose had been ready to attack Edward on sight still very much hysterical that he'd agreed to give Esme what she'd wanted. Rose would struggle with that choice even if in her own mind what Esme had said to her had settled in more than she wanted it too. Everyone dealt with grief differently and Edward would accept Rose's anger if that was what she needed, all they had called upon were here. Even Bella who had forgone sleeping in favour of waiting was with them all, she'd stood to move to Edward as soon as he'd entered the room and he'd eagerly welcomed her into his arms. Burying his face in her hair trying to gain the strength that her being with him offered as he'd turned to look up at all of his family, meeting each of their gazes.

"Take the day to rest. Prepare. Feed. Share in the love you have with those you hold dear. Tonight we end this. Our mother and father and cousin have left us but they will not pass from this world alone, those who have taken from us will learn of justice. They will suffer for the actions they have dared to take against us. Tonight we cross La Push land and we kill the alpha and those who follow him." Edward had said with a fierceness that had made many feel the need to fall into line. Jasper standing his own shared moment with Esme before her death, making his need for blood even stronger. He was already to take some aside, those who weren't familiar with the shifters and the way in which they fought to give them training in dealing with them.

"No one is to disturb me until night fall. My mate and I" Edward turned to look to Bella cupping her cheek tenderly.

"My mate and I need some time alone. We've waited long enough" Edward whispered the last part for only Bella's ears, he wanted to complete their bond, he needed his mate and he wanted to make love to her before he was to take this fight to the pack.

Once the pack were dealt with he was going to change her, he wasn't going to wait until after he dealt with Victoria and Riley. They would move ahead her change, he couldn't leave her vulnerable any longer, she wanted to be his equal and she would be soon enough. Today would be a day to love one another and finally untie in their bond, he wanted his mate and he wasn't about to have any other's distract him from that. He watched as that beautiful blush set over her face as he leaned down kissing her lips softly and lifted her up into his arms, he'd had enough taken from him. Now it was time he was the one finally doing the taking, he was ready to make Isabella Swan his completely.


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N Hey everyone, okay first of all I would just like to say sorry to you guys for the chapter being a couple of days later then maybe some of you are used to be life sometimes just gets in the way. You've all been more then patient with me and I appreciate that greatly, I do have a huge treat well I think it is anyway. I've finally found a BETA one I'm hoping I can keep hold of, well for as long as she'll have me anyway. This chapter as I've read through it after having it edited I can already see the big difference and I hope you guys can see just how much cleaner chapters are from now on.**

 **That big round of applause and massive thank you should go to _RDoster2012_ She worked through my chapter wonderfully and I'm so happy with how it looked at the end of her edit. I'm sure a few of you are familiar with her wonderful helping hand with Trillions work where she's also been a Beta for Trillion. So a big thank you to Trillion too for mentioning my story to _RDoster2012_ , already I can see she's exactly the style and type of BETA I've been keeping my hands clasped together in prayer for since I started this story. So once again thank you _RDoster2012._**

 **BETA READER: _RDoster2012_**

 **Enjoy :)**

 **RED DAWN**

 **SUMMARY:** Edward had always warned Bella that the pack was dangerous. They are hostile, volatile, and aggressive by nature. She ignored him, testing even Edward's vampire instinct, by staying friends with his enemy, Jacob. One event will change them all. Bella never truly understood the supernatural world; she didn't understand the aggression that lay dormant even in her controlled mate until it was too late. WARNING: Violence and Character Death.

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the Characters.**

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty-Two**

The heated look in Edward's eyes made Bella's knees grow weak, she'd not nearly expected the way he'd come home, even though she could see something deeply unsettling in his eyes. Bella knew he was on the brink of falling apart, she herself had still found it hard to not cry, in the space of days she had lost two people she loved and saw as parental influences in her life. They had been almost safe; even though it had come from a strain and a disagreement they had only hours left in Forks before they would leave to allow the rest of the family to handle the fighting. Fighting that both the Denali and remaining Cullen's didn't believe either Esme or Carlisle was truly ready to face. Even if Esme was, more understanding neither had been able to face it, the true acts of violence that would need to be carried out. Esme struggled getting past her own instincts, which made her progress falter with the training Jasper had offered her. Carlisle though who clearly could fight and defend himself couldn't allow his beliefs to be altered, he didn't want to take life and while a respectable view, it had caused a deep rift between himself and his members of the family, Edward and Jasper being two main members.

Now they had been taken from them all, a mother and a father, friends, companions. They would never be part of the grand future Bella had often conjured in her own mind, when she allowed herself to think of what possibility the future may hold with endless time and a family around her she adored. The tragic reality that this was not something that could be undone, and that this couldn't be mourned in the way that any of them desired. There was still so much that threatened them all, and there was still so much that could be lost. Instead of Edward returning broken and unresponsive as Bella had expected and even worried about, believing long before his return that they should go to him. The family had disagreed, time would be needed, considering the dangers they'd all believed that to give Edward space and time none knowing exactly what Esme had wished for her final moments and not knowing how it would have carried out.

No Bella hadn't expected the Edward who had returned the early hours of the morning light through the Cullen home.

All had stayed up in their relative silence and mourning, they had remained close and barely anything was spoken of between them, Xavier and Rochelle had eventually joined them all inside. Then Alice had seen a vision of Peter and Charlotte arriving, and instead of Alice being pleased to finally see something inside of the darkness she'd quickly had to exit the room. Much to Jasper's distress as he'd found himself expected to greet his friends all while wishing to join Alice, it had been clear to Bella exactly how Jasper had felt as she'd seen his face more open and obvious of his emotions then she'd ever seen before. She had always viewed Jasper as a somewhat enigma when it came to her trying to read him, while Edward had always accused Bella of being the one hard to read she'd never really been able to get a good understanding of Jasper. She'd learnt a little of his life before joining the Cullen's, she knew now that Jasper was firmly at Edward's side in this, that it seemed Jasper was ready, willing and able to be whatever Edward needed of him. Almost like a loyal solider Bella had often thought of him recently, it was no surprise when faced with the reality of Jasper's long existence. He'd always been a soldier, as a human fighting in the civil war, a well-respected young officer and then into the immortal life he'd been in charge of training the new-borns. Jasper had only briefly greeted Peter and Charlotte before his need to be with Alice had been too much, whatever had distressed Alice had still lingered within him and he had rushed to find and comfort his mate. Emmet had done his best to explain to Peter and Charlotte what had happened, he too hadn't wished to be far from Rosalie's side.

They had all waited after the initial awkwardness for Edward then, even Alice had returned with Jasper though she'd not given any type of explanation for what she had seen. Bella had felt that Alice may have seen something related to Edward when her vision had come to her, like in that moment she'd been able to see more than just Peter and Charlotte. She hoped to be wrong but from Alice's reaction she believed that her best friend might have been given clear witness to what had happened to Esme. What Edward had been asked to do for his mother, seeing how badly it was affecting Alice it had only made Bella's own fear grow. Fear that Edward was out there alone and that he'd need someone, that he would need her to help him, she'd barely been able to offer him anything at the death of Carlisle and now here he was facing having to give his own mother an escape from her pain.

He had to destroy Esme. It was what she wanted and he'd been unable to deny her even though Bella knew it wasn't what he wanted to do. A vampire could not live without their mate. It was a scary reality for Bella, when she truly faced how close both she and Edward had come in the past to being completely destroyed by harm coming to the other. The countless times both of them could have been taken from the other and what that would have meant for them. Her panic had escalated but had faded quickly and Bella had only been half aware of just how tightly Jasper had locked it away, one moment she'd been prepared to demand being taken to Edward. Much like after the fight with the new-borns with Kate to being completely relaxed, it had been disorientating but she'd barely noticed her shift in emotions happened so quickly and strongly. Only once she saw Edward standing before her and the control Jasper held on her emotions fell away and it all came rushing back, she'd ran to Edward eager, needy of his touch and embrace.

Bella had felt just how tense his frozen muscle had felt under her touch as they'd held each other, she'd felt the tension oozing off him. Even still though he'd held strong, so impossibly strong and determined that she found him almost inspiring as he'd addressed his family. She'd seen hints of it then, how well and right it was for him to stand before his family as their leader, even as she felt the turmoil of feeling guilt for being proud of this man. Being proud that he was being strong for his family, when she knew inside he was barely holding on. Then he'd looked down into her eyes after giving his family the specific instruction of none of them to disturb him or his mate, still that word doing strange things to her body. Even now, even when she felt she should be grieving and only feeling pain. She would never understand how Edward made it better, she'd never be able to comprehend the connection that even when both their hearts were hurting they still seemed to have room to love each other as strongly as they do. How they still seemed to be able to reach parts of each other that anyone else would have suspected or expected to fall away under the complications around them.

The beauty of the shared mated bond.

"...We've waited long enough" Bella had felt her face flame under Edward's statement that he'd lowered his voice in tone and it had caressed her ear like a whisper. She knew she was blushing as he'd looked at her, that same hunger and need she too felt so often around him so very bright in his red eyes with golden flecks.

"That's your solution?! To go and finally fuck?!" Rose snarled and stood even as Emmet tried to restrain her from moving, still very much angered by what had happened. Still mentally exhausted from everything, the reality of Esme never coming back still creating horrible images in her mind that Edward shared with them. Edward's rage at all that he'd created, that it had been his actions that had caused so much misery and yet he'd been the one to gift Esme her escape from pain. No one else had thought to save him from that fate, where all the others had been allowed to mourn and not face it, he had been the one forced to take his mother's life. Not Rosalie, he had done it.

"You will not raise your voice to me Rosalie. You will be silent!" Edward roared savagely moving from around his mate and all but flipping the sofa that separated them both aside. Eleazar doing his best to catch the furniture so it didn't hit the adjacent wall. Tanya quickly moving to help her coven-mate as Edward barrelled towards Rose.

"Hate me. Hate me for all of eternity if you must but you will do it silently. I will not have you constantly voicing your anger. I will not have you lessen what I desire to share with my mate. I will forge my bond. Just as I know you will fuck Emmet before to embrace that bond before we face our enemy. You want to be angry you wish to make me hurt and you can't. But I could hurt you Rosalie, I could make you hurt as you desire to hurt me" Edward hissed, his black onyx eyes set on his sisters face as he reached up, his hands cupping her face in his large hands. Emmet moving defensively to step between the space of Rosalie and Edward.

" _Stop!"_

Edward's mind growled around them all loudly as every member within the room froze completely except for Bella, who stood realising that once again Edward was using his gift. She did not hear the shock in the minds of every single member of their group, family and friends all feeling completely frozen. The feeling of complete helplessness, and hearing Edward's loud command so blatantly in their minds was making them feel as if their very skin was itching. Like they were ready to burst forward through their bodies but didn't seem to be able to do anything but stand there. Edward knew that her anger would forever stay in place, Rose knew how to hold her grudges and they lasted decades. She would likely never be able to forgive him for giving Esme peace. If not because what she felt he'd taken from her, then just through pure stubbornness to not see that there had been no true alternative choice for their mother. His gift however was becoming something all of itself, an instinctual reaction, what had once been locked away was reaching out as quickly as his mind reading. Though he knew now, it had never been mind reading, his gift had been waiting all along to touch upon the minds of others but his reluctance in denying himself had held it at bay. Now it no longer felt repressed and locked away now it seemed the gift that had once remained forced away reacted as he needed it, instinctual and primal in nature.

"You can't hurt me, no more than those who I have allowed to harm me already. I do not need you to tell me of your hate and disgust with me Rosalie. I heard those words from my father before he was killed. I heard his fear, his decision to turn from me. He chose to turn to our enemy over me, his own son. I will never be able to gain his forgiveness or his acceptance. I will live forever knowing that. Now I will have to live forever with our mother's ashes on my very hands, I will live with images in my mind that I could force you to see and carry but I will not. I will not force you to see Esme as I had too. So hate me but believe me Rosalie, you could hate me no more then I know I will one day hate myself. Now get out of my face, if you cannot push aside your hate then leave me be. I will not tolerate you ruining this for either myself or my mate" Edward hissed lowly, the very depths of his pain seeping through in his words. It was Jasper who broke the binding of Edward's gift first, Jasper the one closest to Bella, seemed to gain more control the closer Bella stepped towards him as she moved to Edward. The second Jasper felt the ties of his own ability, he washed calm over Edward heavily to the point that Edward sagged under its influence and his hands slipped from Rose's face. Edward even so from Jasper's power slumped back until he turned to look at Jasper nodding in understanding of why Jasper was making him virtually lethargic and calm. Edward believed if Jasper held any further on his emotions he might slip away, he somewhat welcomed that.

His rage had been building to levels he'd not wanted to have his family witness. He'd wanted to avoid them, he wanted to just be with his mate and allow her to wash away his sins. Cleanse him of what he'd done, Rose's comment, and her mental spilling of hatred at him had flipped that switch. That rage that Edward was beginning to fear, the rage that he also knew he found his less controlled mind thrilling in and embracing.

With the entire family now released from Edward's hold with his newly found gift, the gift that many weren't sure if it was still holding them hostage, were still frozen as they watched him intently. Jasper and Bella both moving when Jasper's influence finally brought Edward down, anyone would have believed him sleeping as Jasper kept the heightened lethargy over him, his eyes even closed under the influence of his brother. Bella was panicked at the sight of Edward stumbling back until he seemed to pass out. His body falling to the ground, she was thankful that Jasper had caught him, as she would not have been able to hold his weight on her own.

"What the hell was that?" Kate asked first, never one to hold her tongue; she had never before in her life seen or experienced anything like that before. Being a vampire gave you impossible control over your own body, everything seemed to be controllable to a vampire so being completely unable to do as your mind commanded was scary. It was terrifying to be held so helpless.

"That, I do believe was the beginning of Edward's growing ability. I had expected to start seeing more signs of his ability once he'd activated it but that was simply... outstanding. It's growing fast, most likely due to his instinctual need to protect. The times we are surrounded are forcing it to awaken at an accelerated rate." Eleazar said, utterly stunned by the ability of Edward and what it could mean, the fact that he too had seen the way Jasper had come too as Bella had been close to him made him want to further look into it. Eleazar has always been known for being very observant even more so with his ability in those of the gifted of his kind he had spotted that moment in which Bella had passed over Jasper's place and had seen from his vantage point across the room, as Jasper seemed to become more lucid and able to move.

Xavier moved to Jasper's aide as Eleazar continued talking about Edward's ability; the last thing on Xavier's mind was worrying about what Edward had been able to do. He only worried about his friend who had fallen apart, the emotional mess that seemed to be coming from Edward was clear for all. He couldn't help but understand it though, he'd always worried about his very sensitive friend after they had parted ways. Xavier had spent much of his existence since he and Edward had stopped travelling together wishing he'd been able to make contact. He'd often feared his own hunger for human blood and his complete acceptance in taking the evildoers was his own sacrifice. He had never had the stomach or will to think of doing what Edward had, animal blood just wasn't something he wanted to tolerate even though he'd been doing so to help Edward now. Xavier knew that Edward has always just been of a different kind of cloth in their world, as were all these other animal drinking vampires. Even Jasper who Xavier recognised as one who had spent much of his life living a more traditional vampire life seemed to hold within himself that same strength and will to be better. Xavier didn't believe he was evil but he could understand why their once leader would have believed them above other immortals, as they overcame their own hunger to save human lives. Xavier had to respect that, even if his mind wondered if they didn't sacrifice something else in the restraint they need to hold.

"Here let me" Xavier offered as he reached under Jasper's arms to hook Edward up into his arm and hold him, he knew that whatever mojo Jasper had working over Edward it was better for now to keep it in place. Xavier didn't want his friend to blow his top, even if he had every right to be angry. Things were at the breaking point and he agreed the time was now. They needed to take care of these threats before any more of them were harmed or picked off.

"We'll take him to his room." Jasper said, completely set on staying at Edward's side and remaining to keep his strong influence over his brother, to give him at least a brief escape from what was conflicting and enraging him.

"I'll show you the way." Bella said to Xavier as she looked from Edward's slumped almost appearing to be peacefully asleep, she was angry with Rosalie and while she wanted to say something she knew, now wasn't the time. As Emmet seemed to be ushering Rosalie away from the living room, her eyes had stayed firmly on Edward though. Bella wondered if Edward had done anything other then what he'd said, she wondered if he'd sent any commands through the link that she'd been unable to hear.

"Lead on then, little lady." Xavier smiled and even with his usual good humour Bella could see the concern and worry evident in his eyes, she still didn't know Xavier well, all considering. She did know that he held Edward and his friendship very highly, highly enough so that he'd brought his own mate into possible danger out of his respect and friendship they had once shared.

Bella moved then with a little more urgency then what the situation would have needed, but she couldn't help but feel the overwhelming sense of needing to get Edward alone. Not only for her own selfish desires but the ones that declared that Edward needed protecting, while she tried to understand that many of them were still very confused and hurt, she didn't want them turning on each other. Bella, especially didn't want them turning on her Edward. Rose and Edward had often been known amongst all of the Cullen's as getting along the least but Bella suspected that perhaps it hadn't always been that way. From the way Esme had spoken to Rose before she'd left, before she'd taken Edward with her deep into the forest to never return, there had been mention of it. Bella had always known that Rose hated this life and the things it had taken from her, she also knew that Carlisle had changed Rose in the hope that she would be to Edward what Esme had been to him. All knew Edward had rejected Rose and it seemed there had been a grudge and displeasure held between the two, but after her awaking in the hospital she had believed she'd seen that grudge thaw and start to fade away. It seemed that it hadn't dissipated completely though, she wasn't sure what they could do to help them. Rose seemed set in her belief that Edward was to blame and Bella no doubt believed Edward wished to believe he was completely at fault. He'd had no choice though; the sensitive issue of Esme's desire for destruction had been something they had to go against their own wants to free her of her pain. Edward had shown his strength of leadership by doing something that the rest of them couldn't even hope to tolerate and do, Esme had needed Edward and he'd been there. Now Bella only hoped to hold him together a little longer, to comfort his pain and get him past it, so it was not something that would linger over his mind and potentially place him in harm.

Edward planned to end the fight with the pack tonight and while Bella didn't wish to think on what that fight truly meant, she knew it had to happen. That the time for sitting back was long gone and with the recent attack from the new-borns on their own lands it meant that they could no longer wait. If they let themselves fall complacent soon enough they would have not only Victoria closing in, but the pack also. To survive Bella knew she'd have to push aside the discomfort of knowing people she'd once seen as friends meant they'd have to be killed to save her family. She found herself unable to reach the sympathy she would have once felt now faced with Carlisle and Esme both being taken from her own life and those she loved most. Her own empathy was not limitless and she too, like the others could no longer believe there was some redeemable quality left in them; she could never forgive those in the pack for this. Even with knowing what her own fiancée had taken from them, to Bella the choice was more firmly etched in concrete then it had ever been before. The pack must be destroyed.

Edward may have been the one to destroy Esme but Bella would forever hold her destruction as a result of the packs actions.

Bella pushed open the door to Edward's bedroom, and she held the door open for Xavier as he moved in behind her, carrying Edward's still prone body. Jasper stayed right behind, with a deep-set concentration fixed solely on Edward, and it showed on his face. Rochelle then followed in behind them all as Bella closed the door firmly behind them. While she didn't want to be angry at Rose, the feelings of anger were there, she'd pushed Edward just a little too much. After the awful things she'd already said earlier too, and then facing his family after what he'd had to do it was no surprise his control had snapped. That he'd snapped when faced with Rose trying to belittle not only him but his desire to completely seal the mating bond that was slowly growing between himself and Bella. He'd waited longer than any normal vampire would to seal the intimate physical bond that two mates shared, most barely lasted days into finding their mate. Edward had held against the desire to forge that bond completely and wholly for well over a year, almost two years since his very first meeting with Bella. Many found it strange that Rose would even try and question it, when most of the mated pairs had decided upon taking the time Edward had given to embrace their own mates. Facing danger always heightens that need to be one with your mate. She'd been targeting his own beliefs again; Edward hadn't been naive to it however, this time.

"I'll just lay our sleeping beauty here." Xavier said as he looked over his shoulder to Bella with a smile as he rested Edward down onto the bed, while he was most certainly shocked at the sight of Edward asleep. Both he and Rochelle were stunned at how relaxed Edward was and couldn't believe that whatever his brother Jasper had done could be able to send him to sleep in such a way.

"He isn't sleeping." Jasper said simply from across the bed where Xavier had placed Edward down onto the large space. Xavier and Rochelle both looking to Jasper intrigued. They had both been prepared to take some training under his teaching when Edward had instructed them to prepare. Anyone of their kind who simply looked at the man knew he could fight. His scars were testament to a life of fighting and surviving. You didn't obtain that much scarring without a few stories to tell, Xavier and Rochelle both knew Jasper was a fighter. One that they'd trust to show them anything he believed worthy of knowing when it came to facing this enemy, one they have never faced before, they knew that they'd need different training.

"I've heightened his calm and lethargy to a level that has placed him in a deep meditative state of content and peace. His anger was brimming on dangerous levels; he wouldn't have wanted to harm Rose. Or any of us but..." Jasper struggled then as he gritted down on the slowly burning flame that spread over his chest, Esme's words still so strong in his mind and heart. He'd never before felt the need to cling to the paternal care either Carlisle or Esme had offered, he'd always felt much of an outsider amongst them all. He'd relied much on Alice and Edward through the decades together, his guilt was much like Edwards in that respect for the lives they had taken.

"I didn't realise you could do this." Bella spoke out then looking to Jasper as she stroked back some of Edward's hair, tenderly caring for her fiancée and mate as he seemed to be asleep. She was happy for him to find some kind of escape from his pain; Edward had often in the past told her of his envy that humans could close their eyes and minds to the world and rest. His life never ending and constant in that regard, all the days melding into one endless loop, that he felt trapped by, she hoped that he felt better in his immortal life now he had her.

"It's not something I've ever wished to broadcast to my family. Alice knew, as did Edward. Though not much goes unknown by Edward." Jasper tried to say with some humour but Bella fixed her eyes on him, believing something more was there that he'd not said and wanted him to feel he could open up to her. They were family, they were all each other had in this world and she wanted to be able to offer them all what they had always offered her.

"For so long now, I have not allowed myself to use the full potential of my gift. I've held myself back, much like Edward in that respect when you truly look at it. I abused my gift when I was first created; I was manipulated and fooled by my creator Maria. She managed to trick even my gift, and I, like a puppet to her army, helped her. I trained her new-borns and kept them in line with my gift. I used them like minions, I took away their will power, I had made them numb vessels of destruction. I kept them calm while preparing then turned them feral during battle. Once I began to see what I was doing I tried to stop, Peter and Charlotte were the first to show me what I had truly been doing. I had held such power over them they'd barely even registered being mated. I had numbed them to the very level that they'd only just seen how much they would mean to each other. So I tried to deny my gift, I swore to myself I would never abuse this gift. Years would pass, I would struggle experiencing every death I took and then I met Alice. Like the perfect storm in a little diner, I'd had no right being there but I'd just found myself there and as they say, the rest is history." Jasper explained, and Bella found herself riveted by his story, and finally seeing how in many ways that Jasper and Edward were both so similar in that respect. Both equal of great ferocity and then even gentler tenderness, they felt cursed by the gifts given for what it made them feel and yet found the strength to continue on.

"You've been stopping yourself from using your gift?" Xavier was the one to question it this time; he had always found the thought of denying your ability insane. He'd often found it irritating how hard Edward spoke about the struggle he had with enduring the thoughts of those around him, Xavier had mostly felt a little jealous that he was just an average vampire in comparison and all these gifted ones seemed to not want the talents they had.

"Not stopping exactly, I've just been mindful to not take complete control of them. I only realised how far out of practice I am when I tried to help Esme, perhaps had I not denied..." Jasper said, believing he may have offered better aid helping Esme with her pain had he simply not spent so many decades not using his gift to its full extent. He'd created some kind of block in his own mind, limits of that which he refused to cross with anyone simply because of his anger at abusing it during his life as a killer.

"You can't think like that Jasper. Even with the gift you have there was nothing you could have done. Nothing any of us could have done to spare Esme her pain. We don't exist without our mates, not for long. She was in pain; you did the only thing you could. It wasn't the solution, even if we wish it had been." Bella said knowing she'd likely have to say those words again to Edward, knowing how she'd tried to hold him together in his car yesterday when he'd fallen apart. Mourning his father and what would become of his mother, all would have to face that there had been no possible way to save Esme her pain. Just as there was no way to spare their own now, without either Carlisle or Esme, they'd carry the loss of them both forever.

"Bella is right. I know not of loss, not in the binds that you and your family share but... it is no life without our mate. Our other half to the soul we all carry, even the darkest and depraved of our kind view the mating of others as sacred. There is a reason why we all hold dear our mate's." Rochelle spoke up in her thickly accented soft voice giving Bella a side smile that was impressed by the human woman that was at Edward's side, they would make a strong mated pair. Even more so once she was one of them, she imagined that few would ever come against the both of them one day when they were both immortal and whole in their union.

"I'm going to lessen my control over Edward now. He may feel a little disorientated due to the length of control I held over his lethargy. I know it's an unusual feeling for any of our kind to experience, fatigue rarely affecting us. He'll be fine though Bella." Jasper smiled to Bella before turning to both Rochelle and Xavier looking towards the door with a silent intention for them all too leave. He had taken Edward's words seriously and didn't want anyone to bother Edward or Bella, especially if they were truly ready to finally take the final steps in their physical intimacy.

"Perhaps the both of you would like to take part in some sparring and training before our planning for this evening. I know that Carmen, Eleazar and Kate wished to practice. Even if you aren't willing to stand in, taking note of what will be happening will give you a better understanding of what we face. While the numbers of them are large they still could have grown since then. They are extremely adept at fighting in numbers; it's what makes them lethal to us. I know Edward wouldn't wish for any harm to come to you while helping our family, so any training you feel you need I'm willing to offer my help." Jasper said creating a purpose to take away those within the house of hearing Edward and Bella gifting them some level of privacy. There was also the desire to completely prepare his family; while he'd have much preferred to have Edward there also, he understood Edward's desire to be close to his mate. Jasper too planned to spend some time alone with his mate before nightfall, before they planned to cross into enemy territory finally, and shed the blood of the enemies that had taken family from them.

"That sounds like a bloody great idea. I've not had nearly as much need for a good spar since my time with Edward and he wasn't much for fighting fair. Rochelle here, too likes to take advantage of her gift always sneaking up on me." Xavier turned to send a wink to his own mate as she looked at him with a hint of humour in her seriously set face, she would be a liar to say she didn't fear this threat. She had never been the adventure seeker that her mate has always been; she'd also never been brave like him, facing the dangerous circumstances that he had.

"If you are willing we would both be accepting of anything you may offer to teach. While we hunt the human scum of this world they aren't nearly as dangerous an enemy as the ones you have facing us. We would appreciate anything you would wish to teach." Rochelle said, taking her mate's hand as Jasper nodded in acceptance; he'd suspected the two of them had wanted to have at least some time training. With both Peter and Charlotte with them it would make training easier, the both of them well trained in fighting themselves, they would make for good assistants with the rest of them.

"We won't be far from the house. Well within Edward's hearing range should he need us. We'll be a little bit away from the house, so don't worry about anything." Jasper said smiling to Bella as she turned away from meeting his gaze understanding dawning on her of what he was trying to tell her. That she shouldn't be embarrassed should Edward's plans go ahead when he was back to himself, that they would be close but not too close to be able to overhear everything. Even in her blushing embarrassment she couldn't help but appreciate that Jasper had somewhat subtly tried to hint at it. She knew there were others within her family and friends who might have been a little blunter with the approach of that conversation.

"Thank you Jasper." Bella said as she sat on Edward's bed, her fingers still tenderly caressing through his thick untamed hair, once upon a time all she'd thought about was running her hands through it. How innocent her thoughts of him had been during those early days when just imagining his touch and his kiss was all that seemed to make her blush. Now there was so much more, so much they'd already shared together and even in spite of the awful things that had happened, Bella too wished to embrace her mate as any other would. She knew she'd be left behind during the coming fight, she could not hope to offer any kind of help but being an obstacle for Edward to overcome. For now she would have to remain with her father and away from La Push while Edward risked his life to end the threat to his family. She'd wait panicked and scared but had to hope and believe he'd return to her like he'd promised.

Bella stayed with Edward's head cradled to her as Jasper, Xavier and Rochelle exited the room, she watched and waited until Edward slowly seemed to come around. It was something she'd never believed she'd ever witness, him seeming to awake from slumber, even though Jasper had made it clear Edward hadn't been sleeping. Watching as his long eyelashes fluttered open to finally setting on looking up into her face, that breath-taking smile as he looked up at her made the world around her all but fade away. Their love was selfish. It was all consuming and demanding of them but it was pure in its basic belief, it held them together. It was strong and unbreakable even after everything they had both done that should have risked the very structure and foundations of the love they had. Eventually they'd come out stronger, they had already shown signs of how strong they were together rather than apart. Bella softly caressed along Edward's jaw line as she tried to caress every inch of his face as his eyes fluttered closed once more under her touch. Before his hand brought her own to a stop and he pressed a long lingering kiss to the pulse at her wrist and then flicked his tongue against it making Bella look down at Edward wide eyed.

"I'm sorry I lost my temper." Edward said remorse clear in his expression and tone, as Bella shook her head not wanting him to apologise, not wanting him to feel he had too. He'd lost his temper but who could honestly blame him, not with what had been expected of him, not with what he'd had to do for his mother. Bella didn't want an apology, not for this, not for anything. She just wanted him to be okay. That was all she could ever hope for, his happiness.

"You don't need to apologise. Rose she's..." Bella didn't want to be sympathetic to Rose after the things she'd said to Edward not only last night but once he'd arrived back home. Bella wanted to hold her grudge even though she could already feel it slipping away knowing Rose's grief, knowing that Rose was walking into danger she had helped create to protect the family. She couldn't hold her blame on Rose when Rose had treated her no differently, if anything she'd treated her better since the entire ordeal since her attack began.

"Rosalie is hurting. While not always open she and Esme were very close. Esme was there, she knew and understood Rose when no one else did, both had suffered at the hands of men they believed they loved. Esme was never meant to leave Rose, in Rose's mind she can't blame Carlisle or Esme. She can however blame me. I don't hold it against her, it was just too much, too much after…" Edward turned his eyes away from Bella's and she could feel his pain as she caressed along his jaw, she could feel the shudder of his pain move through his body as he tried to protect Bella from his own suffering.

"You don't have to hide from me Edward. You never have to hide the pain from me, I'm your mate we carry it together. Let me carry it too." Bella whispered, leaning down even if awkwardly to press her lips to Edward's as his head twisted better to alleviate any pressure on Bella's neck in the way she leant over his head. His hands moving into the thick locks of her soft hair as he kissed her back deeply, his tongue daringly teasing across her bottom lip which was pressed against his top lip in the strange angle they were positioned in with his head cradled in her lap.

"I killed my mother." Edward said, finally breaking the kiss, the words taking the very breathe that was left in Bella at Edward's words. She'd wanted to help shoulder his pain and while she'd known what he'd been expected to do and what Esme would ask of him she'd never expected him to so bluntly state it.

"It wasn't like that Edward, it wasn't like that, you helped her. You freed her." Bella tried her best to help, tried to put it into words that weren't so sinister and knew that for all her words could do, they would never fix the part of Edward's mind that believed he'd killed his mother. That there were some things that this world simply couldn't fix or heal, that time would pass and it wouldn't matter. Edward would always believe he'd killed his mother. That he was the killer of Esme even though it had been Carlisle's choice to go to the pack alone that night, that it had been the pack that made the choice to kill him. That it had been Esme's choice to pass from this world, it wouldn't matter, because in the end it had been Edward's hands that had needed to bring it about.

"I feel dirty. Like I'll never be able to wash away what I've done. I just wanted to find you and embrace you and bury away my pain in our love. It was selfish and I knew Rose would dare to question it, I just want to feel less pain and more complete. I know with you I'll feel that. It was selfish, you can't still want me that way after what these hands have done." Edward said roughly and Bella stiffened and moved her hands to hold Edward's face firmly shaking her head, her eyes set firmly and ablaze with anger at him. Anger that he'd even speak those words, she would always want him, this wasn't her Edward that she'd grown accustom to. This was the Edward of the past that he'd let go of and she refused to allow him to regress back to his old habits, she would never make his pain less important but she wouldn't have him believe himself unworthy. Not again, never again for as long as she walked this earth would she let him feel that way of himself.

"I will always want you Edward Cullen. I will love you and want you no matter what you do. What you gave Esme, what you did was a gift. She would have suffered; she would have slowly became a different person and hated us all for forcing her to live without Carlisle. You gave her freedom; you gave her the chance to find Carlisle in life after death. You were strong for her and our family. I don't ever wish to hear you speak like that again this isn't my Edward. That is the Edward of before talking, the man I hurt and the man who didn't want to show his true self to me. We've come so far from that I won't let you fall to old habits. Your hurting and I understand it hurts, I understand it must be tearing you up inside but you are mine Edward. Nothing changes that, so don't ever breath a word of it!" Bella said with a firmness that had Edward stiffly secure in watching her serious face as he nodded, watching her intently, strong and powerful was his mate. How could he feel aroused when he felt so much deep shame, how could he still experience this sense of hunger for his mate while his world was tilted on its axis. Once again like in the car he found that his pain only seemed to call for his mate louder, his instincts telling him in his mate he would find the soothing balm his soul needed in that moment.

"You're right. I know you're right, I... I feel like all I do is apologise. It hurts and I feel like I'll never be able to wash from me what I've done. Like all I'll ever feel like and be to my family is the one who destroyed our mother" Edward admitted weakly as he pressed his face deeper into Bella's touch embracing and revelling in the warmth of her touch upon his cooler skin.

"Then let me help wash it away. Let me try to help you Edward. You've helped me so much and now I want to help you." Bella stood from the bed extending her hand to Edward as he moved to take it, completely willing to follow his Bella to the very edges of this world should she guide him there. His mind completely unaware of where she planned to take him, all he knew was that his family were far enough from the house that they were only on the edges of his hearing their thoughts.

Only once they came to the bathroom door connected to his bedroom did Edward believe that he understood to some level what Bella had in mind as she moved slowly to the shower. Edward watched her intently not moving as she twisted the nozzle of the showerhead and the hot steaming water started to cascade down onto the tile floor. Edward remained still as he watched Bella move, in many ways more confidently then he'd ever seen before. It would have been provocative and alluring was there not so much innocence and beauty in what she was doing for him, she wasn't trying to seduce him. She was trying to help him; trying to wash away those visible marks that only he seemed to know were there. He watched stiffly, frozen as she bravely removed her top, healing scars that once had made her tear up at the thought of him seeing her, now forgotten as she unbuttoned her jeans and pushed them away. Slowly moving towards Edward as she stood in her modest underwear, reaching forward and unbuttoning his shirt, one button at a time as they stood staring deeply into each other's eyes. There was no need for words to be shared, both couldn't have understood each other more completely then in that moment, both vulnerably bare to each other. Bella allowed his shirt to fall to the floor as she reached down to his belt and unzipped his jeans, hearing the audible hiss that vibrated in his chest as she pushed his jeans down his wonderfully muscled legs. Impossibly long and powerful, human Edward in his silly shorts had been gifted with powerful legs. The perfection of the change had only made them impossibly more beautiful and Bella couldn't help but be shocked by just how much she enjoyed the sight of them finally.

Edward couldn't pull his eyes from her body, he had enjoyed every touch and kiss he laid on her body that brought her so much pleasure and gave her release. He'd taunted and teased her beautiful body in his mind more then he'd ever willingly admit, and had pleasured himself countless times in the isolation of the forest alone when he'd believed no others close enough to know of his actions. How he'd ever believed his love and desire for this woman being wrong was a testament to how truly deluded and clouded his mind had been for so long. The creamy skin of her hips so enticing that it created such an urge to reach forward and take purchase of the skin, to see it yield under his large grip as he pulled her against him. The beauty of her thighs and the fantasy of having them pressed firmly upon either side of his face, as he tasted her, his arousal grew impossibly hard. The moment her hands removed his jeans he'd believed his very boxers would have torn at his impossibly hard manhood. Bella was his siren and as her blood had always called to him her body called to the most baser instincts of both the man and the beast that he'd always believed separate but even here he knew they were one of the same. God help him, he not only wanted to make love to his fiancée, he wanted to claim her possessively and aggressively with a savage passion that wouldn't even leave the house standing. Edward Cullen wanted to fuck. And he didn't feel guilt for a second while realising just the lengths of his lust for his mate. Years of condemning others for such actions seemed almost laughable to his own mind, now that he was faced with it.

"Bella..." Edward almost purred in his thick gravelly tone. Bella's hand move up to press her finger against his lips stilling him in silence once again as she looked at him. But she found his eyes not on her own but instead focussed on the creamy flesh of her blushing chest, her breast pressed impressively up in her bra and Edward seemed more than happy to be silent under her instruction once given that sight.

"Shush Edward, let me." Bella whispered moving closer still to Edward as her hands moved, clutching at his sides and moving up along his ribs, feeling the muscles and firm cool skin under her touch. Her hand, slipping into his and then moving it around her body and up her back resting it on the clasp of her bra, offering herself to him then. Allowing him to have what she could already see he wanted, feeling braver and more confident in her sexuality then she'd ever believed before.

It didn't matter then, even though she had only brought one of Edward's hands to her bra clasp he'd snapped the material between his thumb and finger pinching until the clasp yielded and broke. Bella held the giggle in as he looked down at her shocked by his own actions, the bra falling limply from her shoulders and then Edward was lifting her. Bella barely squealed out her response before she felt the bare cool air against her backside as Edward tore her underwear from her body. Pressing her body against the cold shower wall as water fell over them both, for the first time completely bear to one another. Edward kissed her deeply and Bella's small hands clung to his wet dripping hair under the pouring shower water as their tongues moved together. They could have been anywhere it wouldn't have mattered, two mates completely entwined together in the heated shower embracing an intimacy for so long resisted before.

"Everything... Everything in this world, it's all for you, anything I could give you, you'd only have to ask." Edward begged out passionately, heated in his thick tone, eyes onyx black but endearing to Bella as she slipped from his hold her back sliding down the shower wall as she looked up into his love filled face. His declaration so passionate it made her ache for him even more, his beautiful body so completely on display, his length so hard against her stomach and pulsing like it was alive against her skin. Nothing had prepared her for the absolute devastating beauty of this man completely bear to her, why had they waited so long for this moment, it seemed like a crime she'd been made to wait to see him.

"Let me love you, let me love you like you've always loved me." Bella said around the falling water of the shower as she turned Edward slowly moving to press her lips against a scar that had once not been there.

Bella pressed her lips over the bite mark on his arm that he'd received during his fight with the new-borns, a sign of his battling for his family. A sign of his protection, he'd allowed his once perfect flawless skin to become marred in his need to keep his loved ones safe, he didn't worry over it as she'd done her own scars. He carried his scars like a medal of honour well earned and survived. Bella pulled down on Edward's shoulders, wanting him to lower his body so she could kiss along his neck. As Edward willingly surrendered his control to her and allowed Bella to force him down to his knees. Edward had always longed to worship this woman on his knees anyway. Bella dragged her fingers through his hair and turned his face aside as she dragged her tongue along the large expanse of skin savagely scarred by a new-born that had tried to destroy her mate. She dragged her tongue over his neck feeling the twitch of his body as he pressed his face into her skin and groaned huskily. His large hands stroking along her thighs and moving to cup her bottom, kneading the flesh of her bottom with eager hungry hands.

"I can't take much more Bella." Edward said looking up at her on his knees, eyes begging for more and she could see that he was barely restraining himself from moving things forward. She wanted things to move forward, she wanted all of him, wanted every impossibly beautiful inch of him. They'd waited long enough.

"Take me." Bella whispered.

Her body lurched, as suddenly she was no longer under the warm spray of the shower, instead now she was looking up at the silky fabric that was drawn over the top of the four-poster bed. Bella could see Edward looming above her, his body still naked, the tensed muscles over his stomach tightening enticingly as his member bounced and twitched between them.

"Take me." Bella pleaded again.

She had no need to ask him a third time, as he moved forward upon her, his hands taking purchase of her ankles and lifting and spreading her legs as he crawled between her thighs. Bella watched, her tongue thick in her mouth as Edward's lips and tongue trailed an inferno up the inside of her thigh. Collecting droplets of water as he went, his hair still slick from their shower, both of them still drenched from the water. It didn't matter though as suddenly Bella's very sight seemed to blur from in front of her as Edward's tongue reached its destination. The feel of his rough tongue against her centre brought a wordless scream forward from Bella, she didn't believe even the distance would have prevented her family from hearing. She felt like a woman possessed as she reached forward and took claim of Edward's slick wet hair, tightening in it and forcing his head closer while pushing her hips forward. She'd never believed herself to be demanding but she was demanding of his tongue. Demanding of his touch and his love, as he tasted her, Bella could only moan in utter pleasure under her fiancées skilled tongue and rode the high that he seemed to be bringing her towards.

Edward hummed against Bella's sex, his tongue eagerly moving into her. Making love to Bella with his mouth, he'd never believed he'd ever find himself here and yet felt closer to any god in this moment then he'd before, human or vampire. With her thighs tight around his head muffling her moans with the grip she had upon his head, the possessive claim she held of his hair as she pushed her womanhood towards his eagerly lapping tongue. He could feel every muscle in her body contract and tighten, could smell her intoxicating arousal all around him, and could hear the thump of her femoral artery. The desperate desire to sink his teeth into her thigh as she reached her climax and change her in that moment, a desperate desire that he wondered if Bella would be completely against experiencing. Even to his own mind it shocked him with how badly he wished to change Bella while taking her as his own, how impossibly good it would feel to change her in that exact moment as he was filling her but knew that now was not the time. Edward swirled his tongue around the bundle of nerves he'd been working maddeningly as Bella cried and pleaded for him to keep going until he brought her over. Hearing the pop of her spine as she arched her back so much under his teasing and pleasuring, the smug satisfaction that he'd made her cum on his very tongue, filling crude parts of his mind. No longer would he ever be considered the prude of the family, he'd opened Pandora's Box and he'd never dare to deny himself ever again.

Bella panted roughly as Edward slowly kissed up her hip and body slowly working his lips the length of her body before he was positioned between her thighs kneeling there. Looking completely happy with himself, his eyes bright now but his tongue sweeping over his bottom lip, glistening still with her arousal. Bella could still see how impossibly large and hard he looked as she desperately reached out for him, wanting to bring about the kind of pleasure for him that he'd brought to her body. Her hand wrapping around him brought forward that sexy purred hiss that had quickly become one of her most favourite sounds in the world. His length was warmer than any other part of his body she'd felt before, and it thrilled her knowing this information now, as her hand caressed the length in her fist. Bringing forward her second hand to pump his arousal still not able to cover it completely in her hands as Edward kneeled before her, his stomach tight and tense as he grunted against her ministrations of him.

"Now it's my turn." Bella said daringly, as she moved to sit up, her mind completely made up and set on reciprocating to her immortal lover, the swollen tip leaking was more desirable then she'd thought it would be. She'd often thought that act was something girls did reluctantly; she'd found that she couldn't stop thinking about doing that for Edward. Taking him in her mouth as he'd pleasure her with his own. Only Edward shook his head, denying her what she wanted then, as he smirked down at her pressing her chest down slowly, moving forward on his knees between her still spread thighs.

"While the very thought of your lips wrapped around me makes me want to weep from need, I have other plans. I've waited Isabella... I've waited and I shall wait no longer. I want my mate and it's time I have her. Time for your mouth comes later, now I shall have you." Edward said in a commanding possessiveness that made Bella ache between her thighs as he pushed her legs to rest on the top of his thighs, taking his own arousal in his hand and guiding him to her entrance. Bella feeling the tightness in her stomach at the anticipation, it was finally going to happen, they were finally going to be one together, finally.

"Are you ready love?" Edward leaned forward, his lips at her ear as Bella wrapped her legs and arms around his strong body, clawing at his unyielding firm flesh.

"Always. I'm ready always, Edward" Bella moaned out as he pressed his hips forward, Bella completely consumed with the feeling of his member stretching her around him. The coolness of his length seeming to somehow ease the sting instantly as he moved inside of her, Bella's face pressed into his neck, her nails clawing at his back as she could already feel a sense of pleasure filling her. She was confused, where was the pain, the brutal pain of her first time, it didn't seem to be happening and before she could even linger on the thought he was moving inside of her. The world faded from her then as she completely embraced the pleasure of making love to her mate. There was no room for human experiences and ideals in this world, the love and shared bond of two mates coming together could have never been explained to Bella, by another human.

"I love you Bella" Edward moaned, his hands reaching to either side of her, sinking into the mattress tightly but his body still perfectly rotating and moving forward into her. Bella's own hold on Edward helping his movements to reach the very depths of her as she pushed her hips up from off the bed that he was ripping to ruins under his pleasure and need for more.

"Oh god Edward. Love you" Bella cried, her head pressing back into the pillow beneath her head, she barely managed to see around the very sparks she'd been seeing in her climax to catch sight of Edward.

Edward was both, completely adoring in his expression and open. His deep black eyes with red just lingering on the very edges of his irises as his neck tensed, his head arched up. The loud cry of pleasure that echoed around her as he filled her completely, as she felt the strange sensation of flooding inside of her as they released together. The shocking but also pleasing coolness of his seed inside of her aching centre from what they had shared. Nothing in the world could have possibly prepared her for the pleasure she had just felt. Bella would have waited a century too, knowing just what this had meant for them both. Edward gently resting the weight of his body carefully between Bella's thighs as she looked up at him, her hands slowly caressing down the length of his muscled back, his hands moving through her thick hair. They didn't need to declare the love they shared. Both could see it completely in one another's eyes.

Finally they were one.

They were completely bound in every sense of the mated world.


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N Hey everyone, I know... First I have to apologise many of you guys have left mentions about not receiving your chapter last week and I simply have to say I'm sorry. I've been horribly sick the last week and still am, unfortunately with being sick still having to work I've not been as free as I usually would have been and so I missed out on getting a chapter to you all last week. There is also the added shift in scheduling that has occurred because now I have a Beta also, I have to hope you all can just bear with me as I sort everything out guys. I'll do my best to get up an update once a week but as we all know life happens. Also I'm hoping now you can see how much cleaner and better looking the writing of these chapters are thanks to the wonderful _RDoster2012_ you might cut me a little slack with being a little late now and then lol. Anyway I won't keep bothering you guys with my author's note you've all been waiting patiently for this chapter. For those demanding the blood, its coming guys, oh dear lord is it coming muhahaha... ;)**

 **As Always massive thank you to my Beta, _RDoster2012_.**

 **BETA READER: _RDoster2012_**

 **Enjoy :)**

 **RED DAWN**

 **SUMMARY:** Edward had always warned Bella that the pack was dangerous. They are hostile, volatile, and aggressive by nature. She ignored him, testing even Edward's vampire instinct, by staying friends with his enemy, Jacob. One event will change them all. Bella never truly understood the supernatural world; she didn't understand the aggression that lay dormant even in her controlled mate until it was too late. WARNING: Violence and Character Death.

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the Characters.**

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty-Three**

Edward lay beneath twisted sheets, tangled around his waist dangerously low as it revealed the prominent v shape that hung lowly on his waist and over his hip. It was one of those rare sunny days in Forks and the light that shone through the large wall window brought a sparkle, even though somewhat dimmed across his face and chest. It seemed oddly calming that the sun would shine on him in that moment, still very much conflicted with so many of his actions and choices. Especially those that had led to the loss of his beloved immortal parents, he would forever miss Carlisle and Esme.

The world would be a forever-darkened place without their blindingly good souls gracing the world. Edward couldn't help but hope that somewhere in a place beyond that of the world he existed in, they were together, happily reunited and that it was they who decided to shine down upon him this morning. This both heart breaking and glorious morning where he lay naked as the day he was born beside his future wife, who was barely covered by the same sheets that tangled around them. The lone glinting from her ring finger as her arm lay beneath her resting peaceful face, Edward still lay beside her completely content to watch her forever. It was the early afternoon by now of course, Bella had eventually been claimed by sleep after their fourth time making love.

Edward couldn't say he'd been sure it was the right choice to push her beyond the first time, but the new awakened feelings and sensations had demanded more of both of them. Bella had sworn she was okay, that while there had been an ache and tenderness it had not been something she would allow to prevent her from experiencing more. And oh how they had experienced more, Edward still now laying comfortably relaxed beside his mate could still smell their joined scents in the air, and the heavy aroma of sex and sweat from Bella's body. How even now, hours after satisfying his lust repeatedly he was still completely hard and more than willing and prepared to take her and feast upon her again. It had Edward looking forward to that moment when both of them were equal in body, when the time finally came that she would no longer need rest and that he'd be able to continuously quench his thirst for her with never ending stamina. There were still decades of time to make up for in Edward's mind, still a wide plethora of carnal acts he most definitely expected to experience with his mate. They had burst open the doors of his sexual awakening, and now he believed just as he felt ready to keep making leaps and bounds forward he hoped Bella wished for that too.

Edward reached forward, his fingers slowly trailing down the curve of Bella's spine as she lay on her stomach, the sheet low enough to just cover her delectable bottom, a sight he had to deny himself, in hopes of letting Bella get her rest. He had her from behind hours ago and the sight of her bottom slapping against his hips as he took claim of those hips and drove himself into her was still one of the most incredible sights he'd ever been granted. Thankfully it was burned into his immortal memory and that image would remain firmly stored there forever, he knew he'd enjoy it over and over again. The sound of her mewling, and moaning as she had gripped the bedding beneath her, as he'd been kneeling behind her pulling her along him as the sound of slapping had echoed in his enhanced hearing. The hitching in her breaths with every time he completely filled her with himself, and then her begging that would accompany his deep thrusting, yes, Edward had truly opened his own eyes to the intoxicating wonders of sex. And had no desire to ever stop again; he would continue to want her with a fiery hunger as he always had.

The only difference now was there was no need to hold back. Edward's fingers danced around the dimples on Bella's lower back, her breathing increasing and heart rate picking up, she was awake, even if she'd made no sign to let him know. Not that he needed it; he was hyperaware of Bella now in a way he'd never been before. He moved then, straddling the back of her thighs, his chest leaning over her back as he swept her untamed locks aside, and peppered kisses along the length of her neck. His arousal already digging possessively into her perky backside Bella began humming with her eyes closed as she raised her hips up, to ease that ache for her man.

"Morning." Bella whispered, the smile on her covered face blinding and she knew it. Evidence of just how good last night had been. Still aching along her thighs and deep inside of her, also the large reminder firmly pressed against her bottom. She certainly didn't protest Edward's eagerness; his desire for her only made her feel even sexier, and even more his, that he simply did as he wished now with her.

"Well I'd say afternoon. But I could understand you being confused, I certainly took a lot of energy out of you this morning." Edward teased his deeper gravelly tone against her ear as he rocked his hips forward grinding himself along Bella, and making her feel a tightness deep inside her that she could feel in her stomach, with her building arousal.

"Again...Already?" Bella whispered, turning slightly at an angle as Edward pulled her bottom lip between his own, sucking on it, always mindful of his teeth. She couldn't believe this had been his first time just as it had been hers, he was so confident. He moved them with so much ease and knowing. He worked her like he could read her mind even though she knew he couldn't, it was both thrilling and beautiful how well in tune they seemed now.

"Never ending stamina, love. Yes, again and again." Edward punctuated each word with a firm stroke of his hips, Bella could feel his tip leaking from anticipation now and she no longer felt the need to be playful, she wanted him. As often as her human body would allow, and then even more, until her body needed a respite.

"Let's not forget, there was a certain desire for your lips wrapped aro..." Edward didn't finish that sentence, suddenly finding himself beneath Bella and now being the one completely dominated as she took control of him. Edward was more than happy to witness the beauty that was Bella, and her confident sexual vixen side that seemed to burst forward from his mate in these intimate moments.

"Oh god!" Bella panted roughly, flopping back down into Edward's arms as she felt her entire body flushed and overheated, his cooler temperature was welcomed even if it was slightly warmer than usual. The recent activities and close proximity to Bella's warm body heating Edward much like it had the night they'd shared in her bed at her own home under the covers. Edward chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her body, cuddling her naked body into his arms, satisfied and beyond any measure of happiness he'd ever felt before in his existence. He still couldn't understand how so much joy could be created in this moment when so much had gone horribly wrong. When so many horrific things had happened to him and his family, he knew he would have to stop questioning it and accept it for what it was. The mating bond held all power over everything else in its supernatural way, no bond matched it and when they were together the colour of the world around them bled away until it was only them in the world.

"Not god love. Just us. Just you and I." Edward smiled down at Bella as she looked up into his face from leaning into his chest, her hand rested on his stomach as they were entangled together.

"I hope you won't be angry by this, but while I have allowed myself to let go of some of my ways. I have to ensure you are okay. Using terms that my siblings would, I rode you pretty hard there and I wouldn't wish to make you uncomfortable." Edward said with a piqued smirk to his handsome face as Bella giggled, shaking her head and lightly slapping her hand down onto his sculpted stomach while shaking her head.

"I think I rode you that time around big guy." Bella said back quickly, and then Edward watched the realisation dawn on her face at what she'd said without a chance to filter. He watched as a beautiful tinged blush that most certainly did travel down her neck, and her mouth watering chest, almost igniting that inferno inside him all over again.

"Don't say anything." Bella warned, more than a little humiliated at the slip of her tongue, though still somewhat proud of herself too. She was in many respects, completely out of her depths and yet she felt so comfortable being open to Edward. Even in her mind when she'd considered them finally making love her imagination had never conjured what had been her reality. It had been beautiful, desperate and needy in a way that had made it even more raw emotionally anyway, in their uniting, there had been so much desperation to cling to the other. They loved one another, they feared for one another and they would be brave for one another.

"I'm okay. More than okay. I feel amazing. My thighs ache a little but... Edward for everything they say in magazines, movies, TV shows...hell even the girls I've known. That. What we shared, it was beyond. Everything." Bella said, completely open and vulnerable to her fiancée, the sheet slipping a little as Edward reached down to tighten it around them both as he leaned down to brush his lips over his mate's pouted swollen lips from so much kissing, and from other activities that were still burned to the back of his eyelids when he closed his eyes.

"I understand Bella. For nearly a century, I've been surrounded by couples. I've witnessed it countless times knowing what the mating bond added to love making. Even though I hated seeing those things, I always knew the deeper meaning behind it then what I have seen human's share casually. I couldn't have prepared myself even knowing what I did for how truly amazing that was. Knowing that it never has to end. Knowing that one day it'll even heighten more once I change you." Edward whispered deeply, his fingers moving to cup along Bella's jaw and stroking along the length of her cheek before weaving into her hair.

"You've mentioned changing me a lot. During... well you remember." Bella blushed brightly and Edward did remember, he knew how carried away he'd gotten that second time they'd made love. The things he'd whispered into her ear as he'd held her above him, as they'd clung to each other moving as one.

" _I would sink my teeth into you right now. I would change you right now as you cum Isabella. I would have you forever. I wouldn't stop, I would keep taking you, I would taste your blood and smell my venom inside you as we reach euphoria together love."_ Edward had growled out against her ear as he'd kneaded her hips, which now he could see that they were slightly bruised under his grip as he'd bounced her over his length, he'd been ready to do it right then. Caught up in the throes of passion, of how aroused Bella seemed to grow with each comment he made about wanting to make her as he was. He barely had the restraint not to bite her, logic had won out though over his desire to change her. It hadn't stopped there either, he'd mentioned it more than once, it had been on his mind repeatedly as he'd taken his mate, that now was the time. That to bite her now, was the perfect time, to pleasure her and change her. To bring her into his immortal world with his bite, while on the highest of highs in her own world.

"I do wish to change you. I hope that's been clear." Edward said, seeing that Bella nodded as she rested her warm cheek into his hard chest, getting comfortable in their embrace again as she listened to the sound of his voice vibrate in his silent chest. The calming influence his strange breathing created for her, it was so calm, far too calm for any human to copy and do so without harm coming to them.

"I think that we should tell Charlie we're leaving. That this evening you should inform him that we've decided to travel, it'll be spur of the moment but we could perhaps convince him it was an engagement gift from my... from Carlisle and Esme. Of course we would then take you away from here where I could change you, we'd eventually have to create an accident. One that would kill both of our identities, I know it's a sacrifice. I had hoped to have both Renee and Charlie present for the wedding. I just don't believe it'll be something we could do. And I can't help but feel we're tempting fate by leaving you human, I'm ready to give you this life. Only you can make the choice to hold off love, which I would understand if you decided to. So much has changed in such a short time" Edward tried his best to explain and be sympathetic of what he knew would be a life altering and hard decision by Bella. Essentially she would be saying goodbye now, sooner than either of them had hoped, completely removing the chance for her parents to see her marry him. He didn't wish to risk her any longer though, he would deal with the pack this evening, he would survive for her then he would take her away and change her. Victoria and her army would need to be dealt with, he knew that and he hoped once the family removed themselves from the Forks population they could hunt down the threat without fear of exposure and the need to do so subtly.

"I want to be changed." Bella accepted completely, even if part of her felt that she would be hurting both her parents greatly, but Bella also knew that there wasn't really much chance of avoiding that. She would have had to die in their eyes no matter when the time came to be changed, it was simple really, she couldn't risk them finding out the truth.

Especially now with knowing the Volturi and how truly serious those rules were held, had it not been for Alice's visions in Volterra they may have come to more harm. Though now understanding more about Aro and his desire to obtain not only Alice but also Edward and even potentially her with how she'd been able to block those gifted. Aro wouldn't risk the chance of adding to his guard, especially by harming the human mate of one of his most desired vampires. Bella knew now just how vulnerable in a way that made Edward, the most powerful coven in the world wanted him to be a member. They didn't even know about his developing gift yet either, hadn't seen the full effect of his influence, if what the family had even seen was all he could do, even Eleazer seemed stunned by it, Bella could only fear what such a revelation would mean to the likes of Aro.

"While I'm sure Charlie won't take the news well of an unplanned slightly spur of the moment travelling trip. He has taken to you well since this all happened. We're engaged; he accepts that, I'll do my best to convince him not to dig into it. Renee will be an easier sell. I just hate the thought of hurting them; I knew all along what my choice would mean for them. With Renee, she at least has Phil but Charlie... I'm worried he'll have no one Edward." Bella said, voicing the fear for her father, in many respects Charlie would forever be an innocent harmed by the secrets of Bella's life. His relationship issues with a woman who was in a sense at war with his daughter's fiancée, then the fact his best friend held some blame to Bella for his son's death. So many lies and Charlie had no clue, and would likely never be able to rekindle the friendships he'd once had amongst those who had been part of his life more so then even Bella had throughout the years.

"I can't hope to ease that worry. I can only tell you that Charlie has many friends, while Billy was his best friend and has been most his life, even before you moved here there had been a strain on that friendship due to other issues. Charlie has friends he works with, he won't be alone Bella, of course he'll be hurt by the loss of his daughter; he'll carry it with him for the rest of his life. We can't save him from that, but we can save him from learning the truth. From being placed in harm's way, for all I know of Charlie's mind I do know he'd never be able to accept our reality Bella. He lives in the world of humans and law, something that doesn't hold any true meaning to my kind. His laws do not hold over us, he would never see past what we are. Essentially we're criminals" Edward wanted to ease her worries, though he knew that he couldn't lie to Bella, the truth of the matter was Edward worried too. He worried greatly over Charlie even more so now since the change and shift in their own relationship, he didn't want to hurt Charlie. He was a good man, who deserved better. But Edward couldn't live without Bella; there was only really one option.

"And while it can't help them through the emotional pain they suffer or nearly be enough to replace you and what they've lost. We could leave them money, so they can take care of themselves. Someway in which we can at least be there for them, I can have Jasper draw up the documentation. A will that'll have a type of inheritance to leave both Renee and Charlie." Edward continued, he'd always planned on leaving both Bella's parents money behind with their plan to fake Bella's death. He'd always at least hoped to help them financially in some way before distancing themselves from their lives, while he knew money couldn't hope to help the pain they would suffer. It would at least help them in their lives, too much of human life was spent worrying over how to earn money and worry over taking care of money issues. At least he'd take those concerns away from Bella's parents; he'd always believed this would be one of the times she didn't argue about his money. When it came to caring for Renee and Charlie.

"I'll tell Charlie we're going to Europe. That we've been talking about studying there, he was concerned when nothing came about with our college plans. I know we had Alaska down but the time is coming for college starting and Charlie will ask questions. I never planned on being human come time for college. I just worry he'll want to speak with..." Bella struggled getting the words out, saying their names now. The thought that Charlie would want to talk to Carlisle and Esme, another lie she would need to keep from Charlie. Something else he couldn't know, even though it was such a large part of her life now, while not nearly part of Charlie's life as they were her own. She knew Charlie would have wanted to know.

"Carlisle handed in his notice that evening at the hospital. Esme had tied up her loose ends. It's nothing we can't handle on our part to tie away their side of things." Edward said flatly and while it could have been anything he was talking about, she knew that he simply didn't want to dwell on it, didn't wish to think on closing out his parents life's here in Forks knowing that it was permanent this time.

"We'll leave Forks and then the rest of our family will create the visual that the Cullen's have left. We'll need to appear as though we've left before dealing with Victoria. Our time in Forks is over, with what is happening tonight we can't hope to stay any longer. It was a mistake and misjudgement on my part to believe we could deal with both threats while still remaining in human notice as living in Forks. I'm hoping once the threat of the pack is handled that we can take our time away to change you. I know Jasper has plans of scouting and locating Victoria once free to spend more time in the Seattle area. Also we're hoping the distance and the wolves not being an issue that Alice will begin to see more. Her visions now would hopefully lead us right to Riley and Victoria. She didn't know of Riley before, wouldn't have known to watch for him. He made a pivotal error revealing himself in that way." Edward explained to his best ability, he knew much of what was thought over in the minds of his family and friends. He'd tried to ignore the reality that Forks wasn't a viable option to stay in, simply because he had not wanted to rush Bella, time was up in Forks now though. Too much had already happened and would continue to happen, Edward could only hope with the final battle against the pack that they would not create even more suspicion around Forks. They could not afford to draw attention to themselves, especially when Aro had already made it clear his intentions to check up on Bella's progress of becoming one of them.

"Can you hear them? The others, Jasper said he'd keep them within your range of hearing?" Bella asked; she knew her part in this all now. Bella couldn't fight beside Edward, she couldn't hope to take her own justice for what the pack had done to Carlisle and Esme. While this had all started because she'd been harmed; that had never truly bothered Bella, of course she'd been upset, and conflicted by everything that had happened. Seeing how the family had been so deeply wounded and torn with the loss of their parental leading figures, knowing Kate, Eleazar and Carmen as she did, she wanted justice for them. Justice or even revenge she could admit for the lives that had been taken from her family, even though she recognised that the pack had lost people in this fight as well. Bella had pushed away her need to believe not all of her former friends had to die for what had started because of her and Jake. She knew that was no longer an option now.

"I can if I focus, they've situated themselves in a little area just west of here. Not far at all, Jasper is attempting to explain what he knows of the pack's fighting technique. While he's only ever briefly witnessed it, he's rather intuitive when it comes to fighting styles. Emmet is trying to convince Rosalie to participate, Kate shocked her and she's been angry ever since." Edward said with a hint of amusement at Kate's actions, while he only briefly could see what had happened by Emmet's and Rose's thoughts. It appeared that while no one else had commented on what Rose had done to Edward when he'd arrived home early this morning, Kate had decided to give Rose a little bitter taste of her own medicine and had charged up her gift while sparring. It had been nothing more than just a firm warning; one Edward respected and appreciated.

"You've made an impression on Kate. She wasn't pleased by the idea that Rose may have ruined our chance to embrace our mating bond before tonight." Edward explained that Kate had more so done it for Bella, which was true. Kate knew well enough of Edward's former ways, how he'd have over thought and doubted himself when Rose had questioned him in the past. Kate knew that it would have likely in the past instantly changed Edward's mind on what he and Bella had shared with each other, Kate didn't like that. In many ways she was simply looking out for Bella and what she would want, Bella had truly made a loyal friend in Kate in the short time they'd shared together.

"That's all I need right now Rosalie angry with me" Bella said, slightly concerned that things would return to how they had been before, that Rose would reluctantly accept her but make no show of welcoming her. Bella had felt in the last few weeks that there had been a building of a somewhat friendship between them.

"Rosalie isn't angry with you love. She's angry, enraged with what happened. If I'm to be completely honest her intention was solely to target me. I'm the easiest target for her anger, I always have been." Edward said almost an almost acceptance that he would forever be Rose's punching bag, not that he planned on allowing her spewed insults and anger as he had once done in the past. The confrontation in the living room hours earlier had proved that, even if Edward hadn't really meant to tap into his power. It had made it clear, should he desire it he could very likely force it to be done with this new gift that he was still learning to tread with. It was a vast power, one he wasn't sure would continue to spring forward only in the most heightened of emotional moments. He'd used it for commanding but then he'd also helped Esme with his gift, given her peace in her final moments.

"When she targets you, she targets me!" Bella said fiercely, her hand spreading over Edward's firm chest as she took a possessive claim over her fiancée looking up into his eyes. It sent a live wire of energy down Edward's very spine at the look and sound of Bella before him, not even realising what her words meant to him. Her complete acceptance of what they were, he'd often believed that she'd not feel their shared link as completely as he would, simply because she was still human. It had been much of the reason why there had been so many unspoken problems in the past. Edward's foolish belief that Bella didn't see and feel in the ways in which he did, he'd come to the reality now that even in spite of their species difference when it came to each other they were no less any other mated pair. Not even biology and supernatural ties could really hinder what they had together.

"We need to shower." Bella said, taking Edward's mind away from where it was quickly descending, back to the moments of shared pleasure and bliss tied together in the most intimate of ways. Then the second image filtered his brain and memories of her body beneath the shower, watching the water run over her naked body and he was quickly falling back to his lust filled desires.

"Not for that, even if I want to. We should join the others Edward, if tonight is when you plan to confront the pack. We should be with everyone else not isolating ourselves. You should be preparing too. I don't want you to get hurt." Bella said as she shifted, pulling the sheet around her body, keeping her body covered from Edward's eyes for now. Though he hoped soon to be allowed to pull the sheet from her or at least see her drop it, he was quickly becoming used to having her on display and wasn't pleased by the thought of that ending so soon.

"They'll understand. I told them not till nightfall, love. We still have so much of the day to enjoy ourselves. I plan on enjoying every second. I'm not nearly finished." Edward said, turning onto his side as he leant on his elbow smirking crookedly at Bella as she looked at him so openly visible before her and she had to fight with all her will power not to concede. It was what she wanted more than anything but there were things that needed to be said and done. She couldn't fight by his side, couldn't hope to end this threat and avenge her fallen parents and loved ones. She could however make sure the man she loved beyond all understanding was completely prepared so he could and would come back to her.

"I'm not asking you to be finished. But Edward, you haven't spoken with Eleazar about the gift. About how it's just happening when you are feeling overly emotional on some level." Bella tried to explain without saying outright that it seemed most effective when he was losing himself to the rage, she feared that his rage would get the best of him facing the pack. That he potentially may activate his gift and place not only himself in harm's way but also his family, she couldn't tolerate the thought of losing anyone else after what had already been taken from them.

"I told you I would speak with them. It wasn't the right time." Edward said reluctantly as Bella crawled off their shared bed, it had certainly seen better days. Large finger gouged out areas were present in locations over the mattress, pillows were torn in two and some of the sheets were ripped from his excess of strength.

"We need to prepare you Edward. I... we know what happens now. We've seen the devastating result of losing one of us. I can't have you harmed. I can't have you hurt Edward. I'd do no different than Esme if I were to lose you just as I know you'd do the same if I were lost. We can't stay up here all day, even if that's all I want to do. I want to be selfish and just keep going but we need to prepare and your family needs you to be there. Jasper is willing to take the helm now but he shouldn't have to do it alone. You were who we all decided to follow, we just have to get through today and then tomorrow...Tomorrow we never have to stop. Ever again." Bella swore, seeing how her words were hitting the desired spot, she knew just like she wanted to be able to stay in their room and completely quench the desire of each other's body. Even now it seemed almost maddening that she'd wanted this so long and she was stopping them from having more.

There were more important things though now, Edward would be in a fight to the death this evening. He would be facing an enemy that had already harmed him more emotionally then she believed any other had in his entire existence. She needed Edward to survive, needed her family to survive this. She couldn't protect him, but she could make sure he was able to protect himself. One day she'd be at his side, she could only hope that once they were finally equal, there would be no reason for fighting. She much rather preferred the thought of isolation and each other's bodies locked together for all of eternity, it certainly had a large appeal to it, now she knew just how incredible it felt.

"You're right love. I should be with them, helping them instead of being selfish. Though I still believe there was nothing wrong in wanting to simply remain alone until later. I won't let anything happen Bella, I'll always come back to you. I swear that, we have an eternity to spend together. Now I know that we shall have it I won't risk losing it, nothing the pack have will prevent me from being back at your side." Edward leaned forward cupping her cheek softly, as Bella's face leaned more into his touch as she turned to press her lips to the palm of his hand.

"I just need to know that you'll be prepared. We need to explain to the others about your gift. About how it worked in the diner, they've experienced it first hand now, though not nearly like what had happened." Bella said, while she didn't like the idea of pushing Edward to do something he didn't want to do, this was simply her only option. She knew he'd not been too accepting of his growing gift, especially when faced with what it could truly mean. For all the gifts Bella had heard of and seen from the vampire kind she'd never believed she'd ever come across something like Edward's, even with Alice and her visions, and his mind reading already, then seeing Rochelle who could blend into things she touched. Kate and her electrical shock like touch, even that of Jane who could create the illusion in the mind of intense pain, Bella had never thought that such a power as actual mind control would ever exist.

Though she wasn't sure if it was really mind control.

She had to believe that it was true in its most basic description of what Edward did, or at least forced will. It made him even more powerful, not only in the world of supernatural but the entire world over, his gift to know minds around him and now being able to force his will made Edward more powerful then she believed he'd allowed himself to think about. She knew where others would have been corrupted by such a power; Bella knew that her Edward would always hold some level of resentment for this developing power. While she could understand his need to not abuse it she didn't want Edward to resent what in a sense was a gift created from what he'd been as a human. She'd heard often how those gifted amongst vampires came about from enhanced traits already present as a human. Bella couldn't help but wonder how exactly Edward's gift or gifts would translate from whom he'd been as a human teenager.

"Okay. I know you're right. Let's join our family. Are you sure you're ready for this though Bella? While you've seen us play fight, you've never truly seen..." Edward paused, knowing that his Bella hadn't seen them at their most removed from any part of their humanity during a fight, for all she'd survived through, she'd never witnessed first hand the brutality and viciousness of two vampires fighting.

Even though it would only be training amongst his family, he hoped she was prepared for that, it wasn't unheard of for tensions to get to high during sparring and for things to escalate quickly, and need the involvement of others to help break it up. It brought Edward up hard as he thought of his father; he'd often been the first to intercede any fight that was growing too aggressive, seeing that it would cause each other harm if allowed to progress. For all Edward's words against his father, for the deep strain that had become of the relationship they shared, it still hurt him very deeply that moments in his life like that would no longer have him present. Edward couldn't help but wonder who would be the voice to calm those in that moment from now on; he did his best to push the surfacing pain down savagely, not wanting to let Bella see that. Wanting to store and use that deep agony and rage for later, he would unleash his wrath upon those who had taken his father from him. The actions that had lead to Edward having to commit such an act of his own to free his mother from this world at her direction.

"I have to be ready too Edward. Our family needs us, and while I can't stand with you I'll at least be there now. To support you all, to offer any hint of what you need to keep you strong so you can care for them and make sure they are ready for this." Bella reached forward and pressed her hand over the scarred skin on Edward's neck, she'd kissed and tried to wash so much away during the shower they had shared. She'd done for him something he'd never even considered wanting, but Bella had seemed to understand on some level even Edward himself didn't know what he'd needed then. She had been confident and strong while he'd been unsure; she'd helped him bring back his shaky emotions and then given him a place to release his own feelings without fear of judgement. She always seemed to make him feel freer then he'd ever felt before in his entire existence.

"Then we shouldn't leave them much longer." Edward whispered softly, leaning forward and pressing a soft chaste kiss against the corner of Bella's still swollen lips.

"Go, before I can't bare but to take you again." Edward urged her, as she stood, wrapped in only the sheet they had shared, the flush of her skin and widening of her eyes did him no favours with his control. But Edward knew much of control and restraint, his mate was right. While he had always believed himself a selfish creature at the core of his being, he couldn't abandon his family to enjoy the newness of what the pleasure of the skin gave to him. He would prepare, he would channel that which made his very venom boil with an inferno of rage, and he didn't believe he could leave anything standing in its wake. Edward knew that he must fight and survive and that his Bella, his mate and future wife would be there for him. That after tonight they would put into action the plans for their shared forever, eternity could not come soon enough for Edward.

Bella didn't hesitate to take advantage of the shower once Edward sent her on her way alone; while she'd wished he'd joined her she had known it had been his way to resist. She even took a moment longer while brushing her teeth as she looked in the mirror and felt somewhat ridiculous for believing she looked more mature. She couldn't help it though; even then with the healing wounds from her injuries even though the mirror showed her the same, she knew the girl was gone. In her place a woman, there was pain in her eyes; visible clearly enough in the very scars that would be left behind once the healing was complete. Even though the scars were deep, the pain was only hinted there, and she could see a sparkle forming in her eyes, something she had long before thought lost, after the awful events of her eighteenth birthday.

She had lost more than she ever would have believed herself capable of surviving; she'd also gained things she'd never truly expected to happen. Bella quickly changed into the clothes that had been left in Edward's room, she was surprised that Edward had left the bed in the same state and she smiled thinking of her fiancée and how he too may have wanted to keep it exactly how it had been in the last moments they'd been in it together. It was only once Bella moved from outside of Edward's bedroom that Bella began to hear the sounds of music playing, it truly made her see how silent the home was without the rest of the family there.

There were only the lone sounds of a beautiful sad song that haunted throughout the hallways of the upstairs, drawing Bella slowly towards it. Pulling her towards the musician behind the music, she hadn't heard him play in what felt so long, music had always been something of an emotional tie to Edward for much of his life. He'd used music to help him show his emotions and also immerse himself in it when those emotions became too much. She knew this song, knew it but in a different way, this was Esme's song. A beautifully crafted gift that Edward had composed for her during their life together, she'd never learned of the story behind him creating a song for his mother but knew that Esme had always loved it. This wasn't the same song that Bella had once heard so long ago after she'd first heard his lullaby to her, it wasn't nearly as light or tender in feeling. There was a heart breaking longing in the way Edward mashed his chords with an echoing power that rung even in Bella's ears from the top of the stairway.

Still Bella continued moving closer, the music, the beautiful chords, it felt like they were seducing her, drawing her towards them. She wasn't sure if this was caused by the effect Edward had when he played for her, or if it was universal. Bella knew one thing though; that she needed to be with him, it was made all the more clear by the way in which he played Esme's song. Bella paused when she finally stepped down from the stairway, seeing Edward across the large expanse of space in the living room, Edward hunched forward over the piano. He sat there in dark washed jeans and heavy boots that pressed down upon the peddles beneath the piano. The shirt he wore was dangerously tight against his torso, with a deep neck that revealed just the beginnings of his wide sculpted chest. It was coal black and only made his skin look even more luminous as he played his beloved instrument, his handsome face twisted in pain with his eyes closed.

Bella felt her very breath catch in her throat at the sight of him, as if she could see he was searching for something but wasn't able to find it. The aching longing and hurt in the tone of the music only fuelled his beautifully heart breaking appearance. Bella didn't interrupt as he continued to play, running those long skilled fingers over the ebony and ivory keys searching for something in his music that Bella was beginning to understand was only a symbol for what he was doing. Eventually his playing stopped completely dead, the silence enveloping them both thickly as Edward leaned forward sighing audibly before rising from his piano defeated and turning to Bella. The smile he gave her didn't reach his eyes, not nearly in the way he'd smiled at her as they'd been tangled together embracing each other, deeply satisfied and in love.

"I'm sorry. I was just...playing. I thought it might make me feel better." Edward said weakly, as Bella moved forward taking his hands into her own as she stood before him.

"You don't need to apologise for that Edward. You always play beautifully; I understand why you wanted to play. That was Esme's song." Bella stated, knowing and yet wondering if he'd tell her why he'd shifted and changed the song in the way he had, she wasn't sure why he'd turned a song that had always been so filled with love and happiness to something longing and lonely. She feared Edward would forever taint his wonderful memories of his mother and father by the actions he'd made and choices he'd made resulting in so much pain. She knew he'd always carry their deaths, not only because of how truly important they had been but because of how both of them had been lost.

"I don't think it'll ever be Esme's song." Edward shook his head, clearly troubled by the way in which he'd performed his mothers favourite composition of his. The very gift he'd created for her during the years after he'd returned from his time away from her and Carlisle, his time as a human blood drinker.

"You're still mourning her Edward. You will for a long time, both of them. It will never feel better but you'll find ways to live with it. You have a lifetime, more than one lifetime of beautiful and happy times you spent with them. You just have to remember that they loved you. They were both so proud of you, you were their son." Bella said strongly, releasing one of his hands and tilting his chin downwards as she tip toed up to peck his lips sweetly.

"Come on, let's meet up with the others." Edward said pulling himself away from the emotional turmoil he'd allowed himself to fall into, he tried his best to push it away. He knew he'd need to face it all one day, but for now he needed to be assured of his family's safety and the only way to do that was for him to be completely ready for those who risked threatening his family.

Edward lifted Bella with care, swinging her petite body around and onto his back as she wrapped her arms securely around his neck, clinging to him as Edward burst forward. The distance between his home and that of his family chewed up quickly beneath his feet, Bella still wide eyed, struggled to see anything at the pure speed of him. It still amazed her just how fast he was, the fact he could see and register all that was around him and never crashed into anything as they ran. Even then while she struggled to keep her eyes open, eventually forcing them closed against the blurred disorienting vision before her.

The entire journey while so much faster then she'd felt herself ever go, felt utterly smooth, she'd never understood how he did it. How he managed to traverse the uneven forest, moving at the speed he did, moving amongst the trees and foliage and yet to her it barely jostled her. Only once he seemed to reach his full speed, did he slow quickly, and then stopped abruptly. Bella opened her eyes to her surroundings when she felt the slight jerk of Edward stopping so quickly. Bella couldn't help but feel her eyes widen as small clusters of her family and friends were blurring from her vision, it was as if they would pause briefly, in the action and she'd see some moment or lock that they found themselves frozen in before once again they would blur out of her sight. Tanya and Alice were two of those fighting; Eleazar was paying close attention to the two females as they collided. All Bella had seen was one moment Tanya had looked to be holding Alice with her arms restrained behind her back, the next moment the two had vanished from her sight and Alice was the one behind Tanya, sweeping her legs from under her. Bella managed to see all of this as Tanya crashed to the ground audibly, Alice standing over Tanya's now prone body with dark black eyes, teeth bared and the sound of a hiss vibrating past her tightly drawn lips.

"Very nicely done Alice!" Eleazar congratulated. Bella noticed then as he turned towards her and Edward that his prosthetic arm was gone and she could see what remained of his makeshift and manipulated limb. It was almost terrifying in its own way, seeing the way it was shaped, the peculiar way the forearm had been crafted to look like a blunt piercing spike. Even the colour of it looked very different to his naturally pale skin tone, the strange purplish tinge to the tip of it, it reminded Bella of the strange tone of colour that Edward's scars looked like when she really focussed on them.

"Tanya, though you should really be taking advantage of the fact Alice is somewhat blinded. You don't have the luxury of blaming such mistakes on her knowing what you will decide to do." Eleazar turned to look down at Tanya who looked irritated by what Eleazar said but instead of arguing or protesting, she simply nodded firmly before jumping to her feet fluidly.

"I didn't think we'd be seeing you until this evening." Jasper spoke aloud across from where the scene played out between his own mate and Tanya under the watchful eye of Eleazar. Most of the sparring had come to a pause under the arrival of Edward and Bella, most have suspected the same as Jasper and that the two would remain together and away from this. All of them could instantly see that the ties that had once looked strong even before seemed to make both of them shine now; Jasper was almost overwhelmed by the contented happiness and peace that lingered in both of them. He could feel the lingering hints of lust that still made both of them want to return to their room, but the determination to be there was winning out.

"Bella and I decided while we wished to enjoy our time alone that it be more prudent if we were here. I'm expecting you to fight and risk your lives tonight. I shouldn't be sitting back when my place is here, helping and preparing too." Edward said confidently, while turning to give Bella a sideways glance, his smile bright on his face and a far difference from how he'd been just moments before leaving the Cullen home.

"Bella opened my eyes a little as she's been known to do before." Edward grinned as Bella smiled back at him, her hand reaching to take his in her own then, as Jasper nodded. Happy that they had not been dissuaded of their plan to finally complete and consummate their bond, while he felt bad that his brother could not enjoy in it as most of them had. Jasper recognised that Edward was right, he was needed here and he too would need to be prepared. They knew little of the pack, they didn't know how many of them there were and if they were prepared for an attack on La Push. Much of what they knew was assumption and beliefs from how they'd come across the pack in the past, though Jasper recognised that the pack before the men shifted and the pack now was vastly different. Sam had come into his leadership, which Jasper knew, he'd planned his strike against the Denali's and while Jasper had not voiced it, he suspected that Sam had planned the meeting with Carlisle, the meeting where they had ambushed Carlisle and taken his life.

"Well I'm sure you can offer much help, I do believe I have the perfect sparring partner for you." Jasper grinned mischievously towards Edward as then Jasper turned to look over his shoulder towards Kate as he whistled to gain her attention away from her conversation with Xavier and Rochelle.

"Kate you ready for a show? Edward here needs a warm up fight." Jasper said and Edward could see from his mind that Jasper was placing them against each other for one very vital reason. Edward's mind reading wasn't something you could defend against, only Bella could block him and she would never want to fight him. All those around him were ultimately at a complete disadvantage; it was why more often than not that only Alice ever truly challenged him at anything. Now while Kate's mind would still be very much open to Edward and he would see her movements, each choice she made essentially. Should her touch even brush against a part of his skin or even his own grapples brush against her skin he'd suffer under her gift, the electrical shock that would rock him to his core. This was masterfully decided. Kate would have something to protect her from an all out assault, and yet be fighting someone who would know every time she tried to use her shock ability.

"Oh Jasper I'm so on it!" Kate smirked widely from her position and then moved quickly to his side, her eyes looking to Edward from head to toe, her mind already calling him out on finally being a man. She wouldn't be able to help herself, he knew from at least mentally commenting on the fact he'd finally made love to his mate. Edward believed the only reason she'd refrained from verbally commenting had been Kate's friendship with Bella and not wishing to embarrass her.

"Stay with Jasper, love." Edward turned to Bella who was looking between Kate and Edward surprised, for some reason she'd believed that the woman would fight the woman and men the men. It seemed ridiculous on Bella's part now that she'd even thought that it would be set that way when all of them had such vastly different styles and abilities, she was suddenly unsure on what this would mean and Edward could see that.

"Don't worry Bella I won't hurt him too much. I know you kinda like him." Kate said playfully, sending a wink to Bella, as she tried to reassure herself that she'd made him come here. She'd wanted Edward to be prepared for the fight against the wolves so that he wasn't harmed, she was also curious to see how Edward truly fought. It had been something she'd never witnessed before and a morbid part of her had always been curious to see him in action, much like she'd always secretly desired to see him when he was hunting. Allowing that more instinctual part of him free, Bella wasn't sure if that was normal of her to want but she didn't much care. She wasn't normal, her relationship with Edward was far from normal but she did believe it was perfect.

"Perhaps it is I, who should be telling my mate that it is I who won't be hurting you too much." Edward turned to look over his shoulder at Kate. Jasper moving around Edward to Bella's side seeing in that split instant as Edward seemed to release some hold of himself that he had. He knew he would need to keep a close eye on the emotional setting of his brother's mind. That in much of the changes during a confrontation, Edward had been allowing much of his anger free. While it had been impressively destructive on a battlefield against real enemies they couldn't afford for his rage to overwhelm him and for him to actually hurt any of their members. Not when faced with what had been decided upon this evening, they couldn't risk losing more numbers when they all knew they would be at a disadvantage in numbers against the wolves.

"Awfully sure of yourself, aren't you? I guess you're still high from the experience of finally popping your cherry. Guess it would make anyone feel invincible after waiting more than a century to get some action. I sure hope it lasted more than a few seconds, we all know how the first time can blow." Kate taunted Edward knowing that she was riling him up, in the past he'd have never agreed to such a thing.

Always set in his old-fashioned beliefs and he'd have never entertained the idea of fighting with a female member of the family. Though they had all known with enough taunting there was the chance of some of that anger springing out, Kate didn't realise that the taunting wasn't needed any longer. Edward was more comfortable now with his anger then he'd ever been, or at least more accepting of it. She wanted to fight and he would happily give her one, this wasn't about harming each other it was about pushing themselves, testing and preparing one another for what was to come.

"If you fought as well as you talked perhaps you wouldn't have lost your head the first time around." Edward said boldly, the hiss in the back of Kate's throat was a warning, she couldn't believe he would dare to say something like that. She had wanted to taunt him and push his anger; she needed to remember who she was facing. Edward had all the knowledge he needed from Kate's mind on things he could touch upon to use in a verbal spat; she would not win as she wanted. His commenting on her beheading had the desired affect though, as Kate charged her entire body and lunged for Edward, she was enraged and wishing to make a spectacle of him now.

Bella stood at Jasper's side; she saw that many of them had joined her and Jasper in the foreground to watch Edward and Kate come together in their fight. Kate lunged first, it seemed as if she was about to crash completely into Edward as he stood there, his face a mask of complete calm and arrogance. Bella had almost thought to shout out to Edward to move but just as Bella had expected to see Kate slam into Edward's unmoving body he'd simply span from his position. For so much of her time Bella had believed him graceful just walking, like he somehow glided across surfaces, which she'd always believed heightened by her lack of being able to walk across a flat surface herself.

Now though she saw just how predatory that grace was, how beneath his easy flowing movement were the signs of a dormant predator. Edward span swiftly out from Kate's lunge but his arm reached out with a blinding speed and slammed down onto the expanse of Kate's body that was airborne. Then she hit the ground roughly as if batted out of the sky, Bella struggled to keep her gaze focused then, as Kate blurred from the ground. Bella hadn't expected the fights to be like this, which had her feeling slightly foolish, she knew how strong and fast they all were. So of course that speed would translate into something that was clearly as instinctual to them as fighting, she could hear Jasper react to certain points of the confrontation but he remained silent. Observing closely of what was happening; of the things that Bella was completely positive she was missing something amongst the speed.

The sounds too were shocking, the animalistic growls and the loud clapping of what she could only describe similar to a soft clap of thunder. She could see one thing amongst the chaos of two immortals fighting though, as Edward twisted his body in such a way Bella believed should have been painful. Edward had the upper hand, she'd noticed the strange way in which he'd been holding himself. The way when those moments of clarity were apparent to her that she could see Edward using Kate's very sleeves to hold her arms, she could notice even in her human eyes how well he was doing of being mindful not to touch her skin. She knew that was because of her ability, she knew that just one fully charged zap from Kate and this fight could very much be over.

Bella had been distracted by a peel of laughter, that Jasper had tried hard to suppress, when she saw that the fight was over; she'd quickly turned to were his eyes were set. She'd almost laughed herself to find Kate face down on the ground, her arms behind her back, but it had been the way Edward had used her sleeves to pull over her hands and tied the material into a thick knot at the middle of her back. He'd created an almost straightjacket out of her own shirt, there was tightly twisted material wrapped around Kate's torso and arms and while Bella knew that Kate with her vampire strength could easily rip herself free, Kate didn't seem to be struggling against it. Her facial expression was irritated and angry as she tried to roll her body so her face wasn't pressed into the ground but Edward kept his boot pressed onto the small of her back, his dark eyes grinning wickedly.

"I swear to god Edward, if you don't let me up, I will kill you." Kate growled, frustrated, she'd not nearly fought as well against Edward as she'd suspected. Not being used to being man handled either, she wasn't taking being beaten by Edward well at all, she'd hoped to rile him up by mentioning his sex life and hoped his old fashioned views might have hindered him fighting her. What had annoyed her more than anything was that he'd somehow anticipated and avoided every strike she'd made to use her shock, and yet when she'd released her gift, focussing on the fight she'd felt as if he'd welcomed her strikes only to make her confident enough to charge it once again, then to find him ready. She hated his mind reading.

"Why didn't she just rip free from it?" Bella asked aloud, not really expecting an answer.

"He's tied her up in a way that should she rip free... well let's just say she'll be as naked as the day she was born." Jasper chuckled lightly, as Bella looked towards Kate again who was on the ground, she wasn't sure how Edward could have managed something like that. The desire to suddenly find out how he'd managed to do that to clothing however made her even more interested in ways she could help him out of his own. Bella had to remind herself to control herself as she saw Jasper looking at her even more amused then, her face heating, realising that he was completely aware of what she was feeling. Time for that came later though; she had to believe that they had all of eternity to satiate themselves on each other. Now her mate needed to prepare, then after this they could begin plans for forever.


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N Hey everyone, I know a lot of you guys have been waiting for this chapter and I have to just say I'm sorry that it hasn't been as regular recently. I've just got to get into the swing of it again, life gets busy I'm sure you are all aware of that and I've not had the kind of time I've had in the past to write. Though I'm still getting a little done here and now, I'd like to say I'm going to get a chapter up a week but you might just have to bear with me for a little while. Many of you have been incredibly supportive even sending me PM's, that I really need to get to replying. It's really incredibly cool getting not only to read the reviews but the private messages from you guys, Red Dawn has blown up in a way I never expected. Part of that comes down to all of you guys and those behind the scenes who are always a willing ear for me to give ideas too. I know many of you wanted the fighting to start now, believe me I want to get to the violence, the gore and the blood... it's kind of my favourite part :P but for the story certain things have to happen. There has to be a certain amount of things that go down before our guys go running into war. You all know I punish stupid choices (or at least I'd like to think I do) so having the Cullen's rush off into battle without really preparing would have them lose horribly. Training needs to happen, planning and strategy needs to have been decided upon, so stick with me. The wait isn't long now and you'll get what you want believe me you'll get it by the bucket load just a little bit more patients guys ;)**

 **As Always massive thank you to my Beta, _RDoster2012_.**

 **BETA READER: _RDoster2012_**

 **Enjoy :)**

 **RED DAWN**

 **SUMMARY:** Edward had always warned Bella that the pack was dangerous. They are hostile, volatile, and aggressive by nature. She ignored him, testing even Edward's vampire instinct, by staying friends with his enemy, Jacob. One event will change them all. Bella never truly understood the supernatural world; she didn't understand the aggression that lay dormant even in her controlled mate until it was too late. WARNING: Violence and Character Death.

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the Characters.**

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 **Chapter Twenty-Four**

Bella had watched the entire afternoon as her family trained, she watched as Jasper, with the help of the more experienced members of the group pushed them all, almost to the breaking point. She'd listened intently to the wise words and harsh techniques of Eleazar who used his knowledge from his long stay within the Volturi Guard, for all she knew of the power within Volterra it seemed they had their own personal style of fighting that only those within the guard knew. Even though Eleazar had extensive combat knowledge, he often deferred to Jasper, which showed Bella just how impressively talented Jasper was in the art of war. He was quick and precise with each command and fight he set up. It became clear that he'd purposely placed Edward and Kate against each other to knock Kate's confidence. While she'd taken a very violent defeat against the wolves, her ability often made her arrogant in the belief that she was untouchable, simply because touching her usually brought her enemy to their knees.

An opponent like Edward, as all had witnessed, could literally be her end, he'd known her entire arsenal of offensive and defensive style, used the very thoughts from her own mind to predict and react instantly. She had not even been able to touch him, the few times she had she'd been far too distracted with having to defend herself from attack to even apply her charged touch. It was clear for all to see however, that the defeat had brought on the desired reaction from Kate; she'd doubled her efforts, taken to fighting even more seriously. She'd wanted to fight Edward again but Eleazar had been the one to stand in this time, it seemed that Eleazar had specific plans for Edward's own training.

Eleazar targeted Edward with multiple opponents, it was something that had truly scared and brought forth Bella's anger as she'd watched Eleazar direct those against her fiancée and mate. Not only did Edward have to fight Charlotte and Peter, but when Eleazar also directed subtly for Carmen and Tanya to both attack Edward while unprepared, Bella had been ready to yell out. Not only to try and help her mate, but also enraged that Eleazar would have him placed with such unfair odds, she'd learned quickly through witnessing the fights that none of them truly pulled punches. There was never any biting or removing of limbs, but when they connected the entire area heard the collision echo around them. It was fast and brutal with a power that Bella couldn't truly comprehend while still being human. Peter and Charlotte were both worthy opponents and from what Bella had been able to see, Edward had been struggling between the two but had shown to be holding himself well.

It was clear in both nomads style that they'd been trained by Jasper, while not nearly to the same level or standard as the battle scarred warrior she saw as a brother, both had certain aspects that showed Jasper's once influence on them during a time of war. As a mated pair they moved together and used one another to strike and parry Edward, often Peter being the force to block coming attacks leaving Edward open to Charlotte's more striking blows. When Tanya and Carmen had moved into the fray, Edward had been all but overwhelmed by the numbers; Tanya had leapt clear onto his back. The scream had caught in Bella's throat when in one motion she'd believed almost impossible for Edward he'd seemed to twist his body in such an angle barely dodging to the side. Then, savagely slamming Tanya down out of the air to the ground, unfortunately it had left him open to Carmen sweeping his legs at the same time Peter had landed a harsh kick to Edward's chest. It was the first time Bella had ever saw Edward truly knocked from his feet.

Bella had felt compelled to rush to him, even while knowing that he wasn't really hurt, not in the way that he could be, should the fight with the pack not go in their favour. Bella knew that while fighting, that it wasn't the intention of those around her to actually harm Edward but she couldn't bear to watch such unlikely numbers target him. While his mind reading offered much assistance in helping him, she couldn't believe that even he could outlast such numbers. Edward had always warned that the vampire mind moved at a much faster speed than a human one, she was finally seeing that Edward's mind reading ability may also not be able to keep up during the throes of a fight.

That fear, however suddenly, was forced to the back of her mind as Edward flipped his body back to his feet and moved forward quickly. His speed almost whistled around her ears, it seemed so loud as he burst forward. One moment Carmen had been there the next she'd been all but flung clear across the clearing. Her body barely caught by Emmet, who had been knocked from his feet under the impact of her body being thrown so strongly. Tanya was the next, Edward seemed to blur under Charlotte and Peter to target Tanya. He all but stopped dead in front of her, the look on his face something Bella believed she'd never forget as he slammed his palm into her chest, the metallic shriek and agonized cry that left Tanya's lips had sounded more like a wounded dying animal then anything human. It sent Tanya back a good ten feet from where she'd been standing before both Charlotte and Peter were back on Edward.

Charlotte swiped across Edward's chest, fabric ripping as Peter slipped around Edward, trying to attack him from behind. Once again using their numbers effectively, trying to keep the two attacks at the same time so that even if Edward could stop one, he was left vulnerable to the other. Edward's flared nostrils and black eyes never faltered though, even when Peter raised a knee into the side of Edward's ribs and Charlotte caught the side of his angled jaw with the heel of her hand, causing Edward's head to jerk, the skin of his chin cracking thickly. Bella watched helplessly as both Charlotte and Peter continued to hold Edward within their grasp, Peter driving his knee repeatedly into Edward's side, while Charlotte brought down harsh chops and punches onto Edward's chest and face. It was only then as they seemed frozen, locked together, that Bella felt tears come to her eyes in fear for the man she loved, that she began to see the cracks on his skin, along his face, strange peculiar lines stretched across his face.

Eleazar had held his hand up, preventing anyone from interfering, even Carmen and Tanya who had been ready to move into the fray once again. Eleazar was waiting for something, he'd directed this fight in his own mind, placed it in such a way to target Edward not only physically but mentally. Bella could even see that where the other fights had shown some holding back there was none here, this looked more real than any of the fights she had witnessed before. The exact moment that Bella felt her body lurching forward, she felt Eleazar reach towards her taking her hand in his own.

"No!"

Edward's voice had roared out at the exact moment that Eleazar had taken hold of Bella's hand; she'd at first believed that he'd done so to stop her from doing something foolish. Of course she couldn't hope to offer any assistance in helping Edward but the strange fuelling tightness around her chest demanded something. Forced her body to at least try even if it wasn't supposed to be life threatening to Edward, her mind couldn't remove what she was seeing, couldn't prevent her feelings at seeing him harmed. Eleazar kept Bella at his side, his hand unyielding and colder in her own as he took claim of her hand, and then Bella watched as Edward's previously dark black eyes flashed impossibly red before seeming to drain back to black. She would have missed it had she not been so intently focused on his handsome face, even while enraged. Looking over the cracks of lines seemed to all but vanish slowly over his face. Peter and Charlotte, the effect upon them was instant in the moment that Edward's lips had parted on his cried out roar. Once again Bella knew all too well that her own gift was protecting her from whatever was likely being said within their minds.

Peter and Charlotte dropped soundly to their knees from their positions, where they were once restraining, and striking out against Edward, their hands clinging to their heads as they cried out in pain. This was something Bella had not seen before, she wasn't sure what he could possibly demanding or commanding of them to cause such a reaction. The two however seemed frozen in place, only the gripping of their hands to both sides of their heads gave any movement away.

It almost reminded Bella of Volterra, when Aro had wished to test her mind against that of Jane's gift and how quickly Edward had moved in defence to protect her from the young looking immortal's talent. She'd watched the much smaller cruel vampire bring her strong and powerful mate down to his very knees with a simple look. Even though he'd refused to cry out under Jane's gift, she'd known just from the wild eyed agony deep in his starved eyes how much he was suffering. She'd understood even more when Aro had made mention of Edward enduring Jane's gift in silence and only further being impressed by Carlisle's protégé.

Now however, Bella seeing both nomads in a similar position of agony and pain under Edward's talent made Bella even more curious as to what he was truly capable of. She'd once compared his gift to that of what Sam could do to his pack, the alpha command that could not be denied, she'd been to simplistic in her comparison though now. She could already tell that from the glimpses into Edward's expanding talent, it was far more complex, far more reaching then she could ever believe she'd be able to understand, perhaps that Edward would ever be able to understand.

Being able to turn her gaze away from Edward with both Charlotte and Peter on their knees before him, the steady even breathing as his chest moved with the unnecessary breathing. Bella was able to look between all others within her family, the fight had drawn the attention of the rest of the Cullen family and their friends. They'd made sure to keep a good distance away from the conflict though. Now Bella could see that they'd taken on the likeness of those who had been in the diner, when Edward had been unable to control his building anger in his grief, when it had been like Edward had somehow stopped time in that diner.

They all stood around, facial expressions blank and vacant, like some kind of switch had been set and left them all on standby until Edward felt the need to do something about them. It was clear the only ones that were different however were both Charlotte and Peter, and of course she. Bella already knew that just like Edward's mind reading from the beginning this expansion of his talent was also incapable of touching her. She couldn't have been happier about that too, not that she believed he'd ever use it against her but Bella knew he'd feel less guilt with his misfiring talent knowing it didn't touch her.

Bella knew that Edward had to somehow take the time to learn and train this part of his talent. She also knew he would have been less likely to try had his gift in any way worked on her. She knew Edward all too well, her immunity to him was certainly something that could be seen as a good thing, and it was also a more physical showing that she was truly made to be his. That her gift even as human seemed to show no weakness against his talent, she'd often believed that the fact he couldn't hear her mind had helped in allowing Edward to truly fall in love with her.

What did shock Bella however, was when her eyes turned to Eleazar, and while still openly viewing the scene around him, much like that of the rest of the frozen members of the group, he was not frozen in place like the rest of them, his face turned towards Bella, at the same time as she went from looking at the scene in front of her to him. The hand he had placed on hers seemed to loosen before letting go. He paused once breaking contact with Bella and looked down over himself briefly before turning his gaze to Bella's as if he was contemplating something that he'd believed he'd solved somehow. She couldn't understand how he'd possibly not been affected by Edward's gift but before she could even question it Eleazar was closing the distance between himself and Edward. Bella found herself watching intently, Edward all but unaware that he'd not captured all under his ability as Eleazar finally stopped just an arm's length away from Edward. Close enough that Peter seemed to recoil and claw at the ground near Eleazar's feet sensing that someone was close by and wishing in his agony for someone to put a stop to whatever was being done to him.

"You need to calm yourself Edward. Pull back from what you have entered. Your mind has drifted deeply into Peter and Charlotte's mind, but they are not the enemy here. None of us are your enemy; I need for you to control this now. To stop whatever it is that you are unleashing upon your friends, those who have come to help defend your family Edward." Eleazar said calmly but in a firm authoritative tone as Edward's dark onyx eyes turned to meet his gaze, swallowing thickly against the build up of venom. He couldn't even hear Eleazar's mind now, he was too focused on the torment that was soaking through Peter and Charlotte.

He'd forced so much torment into their shared mind's, played with it in a way he'd barely known against the new born that had almost ended him, this had been more controlled. He just didn't wish to admit it, didn't wish to admit that he'd seen the game that Eleazar had played, the scheme he'd set up to try Edward's own tolerance and patience. They'd goaded his gift and then he'd snapped under the attack and then felt a seductive justification in punishing both Peter and Charlotte for willingly going along with Eleazar's planned schemes.

He'd felt the darker parts of him cling on to their minds, instinctively targeting those who had physical contact with him. Edward was quickly beginning to see that he had a much far greater grasp of what his mind could force to another's, simply by contact. Like with the new born, with Sue Clearwater, with Peter and Charlotte...With Esme.

Simply thinking of his mother, made Edward recoil back, the very sounds of all the minds crashing in around him as he released whatever strange hold he'd kept on both Peter and Charlotte. For a moment almost sending him back to that first day awakening to this life, the madness he'd believed had claimed him at so many voices crammed into his mind. Like he'd forever be unable to find peace ever again. Edward stepped back instantly feeling himself come around as if from a trance like state, all the minds around him surprised and very curious. Peter and Charlotte both still on the ground trying to gain some composure, their minds still holding a strange lethargy to whatever had been done to them. They were confused, scared even of what Edward had done, his voice in their minds had sounded almost demonic to them, like his very voice and words could shatter them. He'd instilled a fear inside of them that Edward wasn't even sure he would know how to replicate if he was asked too. His gift while Eleazar believed it of much good, Edward believed in that moment that it was clearly thriving more so on his darker instincts that had been awoken in these times of conflict and war.

"You shouldn't have done that." Edward said firmly then turning his eyes to Eleazar, his mind was moving fast thinking over what he had seen, ways in which he could help Edward. But also the sight of Bella's face in Eleazar's mind was very loudly and clear, whatever Eleazar had been doing to test Edward's reaction and his natural instinct with his expanding talent had also factored in something with Bella too. Edward was beginning to see that whatever it was Eleazar believed he'd found out in them both had only furthered and proved that not only was Edward in much need of guidance but that Bella's need would be even more vital once she was turned, so that she would be able to master the gift that was already present within her. Two words continued to float through his mind on a loop as Eleazar focused on the image of both Edward and Bella in each other's arms.

" _Unstoppable force."_

Edward didn't know how he was supposed to feel about that when Eleazar was coining such a term that was also linked to his beautiful human mate. Eleazar had looked upon many gifted immortals, and viewed them, and judged in his own mind of how powerful they were. Even with mated pairs such as Alice and Jasper and all they were capable of together and apart, Edward had never seen such impressed awe before in the former Volturi guard. Eleazar did not even think in such a manor when he spoke of the talents that were held in Volterra under Aro's control, not of Chelsea, not of Jane, or even Alec.

"You have been reluctant to begin training with the talent that you have and yet it's becoming clearer with each passing day that it is demanding your attention. Perhaps my methods are lacking but I had much that I needed to understand. I can only apologise for manipulating the situation." Eleazar said, and yet, while Edward could see he was genuine in his apology for forcing this to happen, Eleazar felt it was needed and did not feel sorry for wishing to force this to light. Eleazar suspected that there was much more being kept from the other's knowledge and of course Edward knew that Eleazar was correct in his assumptions.

"Maybe you should have warned old Peter and Charlotte here before unleashing the mind zinger on them though." Xavier said, he was the first to break forward from the group to offer a hand to Charlotte, as Jasper moved forward then, to pull Peter up also. The two looked slightly paler in skin tone even considering their natural alabaster skin from being what they were, the purple bags under their eyes resembled more of two starving vampire's then that of what they'd appeared to be before Edward had unleashed his talent upon them in defence of himself.

"With all due respect I have to agree. While I'm sure you had made some type of arrangement, you shouldn't have tested it in such a way. At least not without bringing me forward into the discussion, this could have ended more violently then what we may have been able to stop. We plan to move tonight upon the pack and making such plans, pushing boundaries could have cost us fighters and also the will to fight." Jasper said with a tone that showed his clear disapproval of whatever Eleazar had planned. While he'd seen the great lengths of change in Edward, he had to respect that in the past, had Edward lost control he would have pulled into himself. It was still something Jasper was concerned over when he looked to Edward, also the fact that his two friends from outside of the bonds he had in his family couldn't have possibly known the truth behind Edward's talent, none of them knew that. Not even Eleazar seemed all too confident in what it was that Edward was capable of.

"It's okay Jasper, we knew what we were agreeing to had the potential to end a little rougher then we would have wanted. I can't say I was all that pleased with what happened, it certainly isn't something I'd wish to repeat." Peter said, placing a hand on Jasper's shoulder to try and dispel any tension that this private plan had caused, all had deferred to Jasper's teachings here. For Peter this was an old hat from the beginning of his life as a vampire, he'd learnt everything he knew of how to be a vampire from the man, and owed Jasper much. It was the look that Peter glanced as subtly as he could towards Edward, cautious and somewhat uneasy of the immortal he'd always considered very strange in the past. Even more so with much of the stories he'd learnt of the mind reading member of Jasper's family, the mental anguish he'd just suffered. He couldn't be sure if he'd been given an insight to some of the man's torment or he'd simply been able to conjure it, the same way Jasper did emotions, but he never wanted to feel that brand of power ever again. He never wished to see himself helpless at another's feet from nothing more than a thought and watch helplessly as his mate suffered along with him.

"What did you find out? Did we offer any help at all? I can't imagine you gained much from us cowering like children at his feet." Charlotte said, somewhat a little meekly as she took to Peter's side, slipping her arm around him but also not daring to meet Edward's gaze as he'd fallen silent.

"Yes Eleazar you have much to share." Edward said in his flat tone, begrudgingly he accepted that much of what Eleazar had said was correct. Also, he knew that the way in which he had brought about this entire scenario had played out perfectly. However, Edward still couldn't stop the bitter resentful pill of being manipulated and played.

"I would believe it in our best interest to allow your mate, Bella to be a more present party to this conversation, as I'm sure you have taken from my thoughts, that it was not only you I was testing. It was not only you that I was hoping to reveal more of in that of the talent you posses. You aren't opposed to her joining us?" Eleazar asked, this time knowing that he would do much better in talking with Edward first before speaking of his mate's talent openly, also Eleazar was no fool to the calming influence that Bella held over Edward. It seemed now with more proof and evidence that the two truly were a match made perfectly, that it could only be further improved once both were immortal tying the final binds of immortality together.

Bella had already been inching closer towards Edward, during the conversation while not able to directly hear parts of what was being said, she had clearly felt that she was being spoken of. The only invitation Bella needed to stand at Edward's side was when he made eye contact with her. It was the first time he looked towards her since he began sparring. Bella moved to Edward's side and he'd welcomed her readily into the side of his body, his strong arm slipping around her waist, and revelling in the warmth of her touch, as she tucked herself into his side. His lips tenderly pressing to her hairline, taking in her floral fragrance that was distinctly her and now even those subtle but clear traces of his own scent upon her. He could already feel the calm slowly ease over every inch of his body and mind, as if Jasper had unleashed the more powerful areas of his own ability but knew this wasn't a talent. This sense of control on his emotions that came with Bella being so close to him, where he could simply hold her and embrace her in any way he desired had a much natural ability to calm him unlike anything else.

"Are you okay?" Bella whispered softly, but knew that it was of no use trying to hold any kind of private conversation amongst so many of her family's kind.

"I'm fine love, while not best pleased with the method, I understand why it was done in this way. You warned me to start talking to them sooner, of what I've done. It seems Eleazar came to some assumptions that perhaps I'd been using it instinctively and not telling them outside of the times they witnessed it first hand." Edward explained to Bella, but wasn't sure completely how best to explain the snippets of words that Eleazar had been thinking with the image of Bella in his mind.

Edward was trying hard to unlock what Eleazar was trying his absolute best to keep hidden. While there were fractions of slips, Edward knew that it was only a matter of time before he found whatever it was that Eleazar was doing his best to hide. It seemed Eleazar had much more control over his mind then he'd ever allowed to be known in the past, it was something that Edward found only more curious, that with all the decades they'd known each other, only now did it seem he had a means to knowing at least how to hinder what Edward saw in his mind. Only Carlisle had ever truly managed such a feat during the century they'd shared and Carlisle had been given insight on how to from Edward himself.

"It didn't work on Eleazar though. Does that mean there are holes in your gift, those who you can't use it on?" Bella asked, concerned now, she'd not wanted to openly admit to how reliving his new ability was to her. How watching him come so close to harm he seemed to be able to reach deeper into his ability, and stop any harm being truly inflicted on him, made the idea of him fighting more bearable in her mind.

"Not holes Bella." Eleazar said, then taking her attention away from Edward as the rest of the group once again set their own attention on Eleazar and what he had discovered from his test. Even Jasper, who too had been irritated by such a blatant move behind his own planning, was intrigued by what Eleazar might have discovered. Edward's ability was the secret weapon that could potentially end this fight long before it began. It could be not only the packs end, but any enemy that should ever come for them.

"Only one has ever managed to evade Edward's gift, and I truly believe only one shall ever be able to in such the way that has been shown. That however does not mean all cannot be allowed to evade his talent under the right protection." Eleazar grinned proudly, then his hands one immortal the other prosthetic coming together in front of him as he looked between Edward and Bella, both so tightly bound together. Even then, Eleazar had to pause to recognise just what he was looking at before him, even now with one half still human and vulnerable, but still even in their vulnerability so much power and potential.

"I was not simply testing Edward, I was also testing you Bella. I was testing something I've been curious about, many of the talented in our family have commented on moments of feeling unfocussed in their power. Edward in the past has even referred to times where he's felt as if all thoughts fade away around you, as if by focussing on your silent mind he can tune all others out. Jasper has always been honest in his lack of true effect he's had on you, while perhaps due to him restraining himself, but never the less, he too has never held complete control. Even Alice has always made mention of the visions she sees of you being blurred, never concrete. Then I myself tried to use my gift on you Bella, and while I could instantly tell that you were special, a shield, it too was not completely clear, only when I tried to read upon others with you close by did I see that you blurred the lines. Don't you see Edward?" Eleazar stopped finally turning his wide smiled expression from Bella's confused one, to her serious mate, who was silently analysing every memory or thought that Eleazar left open in his mind for him to see.

"She isn't just a shield." Edward said, barely louder than a whisper as he turned to look down at Bella in his arms, somewhat awed in fascination in what he had not noticed before. So deeply in love and willing to believe that it had simply been her silent mind and his attention focussed on her had he believed he'd found some kind of peace amongst the sounds of other minds. It hadn't been though, she'd unknowingly helped him in those rare moments. In those intimate moments when she, on some instinctive level knew to give Edward what no other in this world could, it was so subtle in its power that none of them had noticed. Eleazar had even missed it until he'd seen Jasper come to life in that moment in the living room when Edward had used his gift. Just Bella passing by had seemed to loosen the control Edward had taken from them and she'd freed him to help Edward gain control of his own anger that had been spiralling.

"What do you mean?" Bella asked, and while she'd heard this all before, the comments on her ability to protect her mind from others within the immortal world when it came to the talents they held. Now she was uncomfortably aware that it hadn't just been Edward on show for testing under Eleazar's influence it had been her. The reason he'd ensured she was at his side. Why he had grabbed her at that last possible second when she'd not been able to sit by and watch Edward being attacked any longer, when her mate had used his gift to protect and defend himself.

"You, Bella, are a shield that is true, and I believe it is your focussed talent. But your gift is protection. It is protection from talents of the mind. It isn't just protection, I believe you are a drainer of the gifts around you, perhaps it's an incorrect way of describing such a gift. You'll have to forgive me but you truly are a first to my knowledge, your ability even now has the potential to weaken, or at least hinder the talents around you. It's barely even there, it is subtle, as you saw I was able to make contact with you, and your ability that protects you without thought extended that protection to me. Edward was not able to force his will upon me even though I could still hear him; you weakened it to some effect. As you have before with Jasper, he was released from Edward's hold and yet Edward did not do that. Your presence did." Eleazar said, and it was now more clear to all just how truly impressed Eleazar was by the abilities that he was finally beginning to grasp, not only in Edward but his human mate.

"I thought you were testing Edward's ability?" Jasper spoke up, now confused, while it was certainly needed information to know, especially with Bella's upcoming change in the future. It was Edward's ability that they needed to understand, and that they needed for Edward to be able to control, they were walking into a battle this evening and Bella's ability would not be present even in its subtle unknown quality. She was human and would never be placed in such a life-threatening situation, especially with all knowing how distracted that would leave Edward, who Jasper honestly believed was their true means to victory in this fight. Edward was the ace up his sleeve in the coming fight, he held no secret to that opinion either.

"I was, I wanted to watch it awaken. It seems to become more present when he's angered or threatened. It's the natural instinct to protect himself, that he is able to unleash its raw power. Edward's ability is focussed in his will to control, or his will to survive as it were." Eleazar explained, and this time Xavier stepped away from his own mate to look between Edward and Eleazar.

"Will? What do you mean by that exactly, I get he isn't just a mind reader but I'm not understanding this whole focussed in his will stuff, you've mentioned before when he's not been around." Xavier was never one to beat around the bush when it came to speaking his mind and he was interested, he wanted to understand what it was that his dear and likely only friend in this existence was capable of. Edward had always been this life brooding tormented savoir to Xavier; Edward had saved his life countless times and even saved his very soul. Xavier still to this day believed the diet Edward had introduced him to, now so many decades ago had given him something to truly do in this life. To bring justice in the human world was like his personal life goal, like by finding that way of feeding, Edward had bestowed on him a life with meaning beyond being a killer just to satiate his thirst.

"It's his will that he's forcing into the minds of others. It's by simple power of his mind that he can send a command, except; I don't believe it can be so simply put. His will as I have stated makes me believe that Edward can force his own will to be done by others. That he is not limited to simply causing people pain or by forcing those around him to stop completely." Eleazar explained further, as Bella looked to Edward, remembering those moments shared after love making as she'd comforted him about what had happened with Esme. The heart breaking beauty behind his final gift to the woman he'd loved as a mother and the sign that his ability was not only something that came from his aggression and that it had come forward more controlled and gentle than ever before to ease Esme in her time of suffering and acceptance of her life ending.

"Like with Esme." Bella said, and then felt her mouth close abruptly at the sound of the hiss that Rose directed towards both Edward and Bella, Edward darkly glaring at his sister.

"With Esme?" Rosalie questioned, then moving to step forward but once again, Emmett stepping in and acting as a restraint against his mate and her reacting against Edward. None of them were happy that Esme had been lost, none had wanted to swallow the bitter pill of reality that she had made her choice and that to deny her would be to force her to suffer. While all others understood what Edward had done, had been at the request and desire of Esme, they all knew that Rosalie now had all she needed for her once before strong held disdain for Edward to once again fester. A relationship that had once been blooming in these times, had once again fallen to broken shards, Rose would always resent Edward. Where in the past he'd been accepting of that, though many doubted this new Edward would so simply swallow her hate and taunting words verbally and mentally. Many were unsure of how that would leave them all now.

"She was scared. In the last moments of her life she was determined in her choice, but yet, she feared what would come. I seemed... well, I felt that I could take away that fear. That I could somehow offer her the peaceful end that she deserved. I was able to send her mind away from her, as if placing her in a trance of dream like state. She died not knowing I was even there, her only thoughts were of her and Carlisle together again, free from conflict and she was happy. It's the first time I've ever really felt any control over what I was doing." Edward explained to the others, only Bella's gentle warm hand reaching up to caress his cheek was able to keep him strong enough to reveal those final moments, but it was then that Edward became clearly aware that Alice had seen. As his words were spoken, he saw the vision in which she'd had when he'd been with Esme in her last moments of life. He watched as she shuddered through the memory of the vision of Edward moving so fast he almost blurred to even her visions sight over a smiling content Esme. Her eyes closed to what was happening as he removed her head and then limbs, quick and lethal and yet the broken look in his own face as he began the flames that would burn his mother to nothing but ash.

" _I'm so sorry Edward."_ Alice tried hard to force away the memory that had left her closed off since she'd seen the vision, only Jasper had been able to garner just the brief information of what Alice had managed to see. Even then though as Edward was tormented with the reality of what he had to do, what his choices had lead his family to, he couldn't understand how Alice had seen anything. How it was that she was blind and yet seemed to be able to see around the blackness that was their future because of the wolves.

"Another clear sign that the talent that you have, potentially holds within it so many deep branches of possibilities. Carlisle, for years made mention of believing Siobhan had the ability to somehow manipulate any given situation by her concentration on an outcome she preferred. For so long she's refused me the chance to see if there was truth, I believe her reluctance lay in knowing my former station in Volterra. Such a gift to will any given situation in her favour would make her possibly the strongest immortal in existence, if I were to believe her gift is true then I would have to make the claim that you Edward, too have an ability that is in line with that of Siobhan. That your ability stems from the strength of will you hold within you, where she can will a situation to happen a certain way. Your will can manipulate more bluntly and clearly in matters of everything around you. It's fascinating." Eleazar said, almost losing himself in theories, as Edward found himself running along with the faster speed in which his mind seemed to be firing from different points of interactions during his existence. Even memories of tales told to him about abilities that had been possessed in the past by other vampires, tales of abilities that once seemed far too powerful to have been lost, but now seeing perhaps that all had been true. Eleazar already seeing the clear weakness in Edward's power, in Bella his mate, if Edward was powerful against all others, with Bella he could be left completely helpless. Not that Eleazar ever believed a time would come that the two would have need to turn gifts on one another, once again Eleazar believing them very fortunate to have found each other and that their gifts worked so well towards each other.

"I'm not sure why this helps us at all with fighting the pack. Of course if Edward had any control over his gift it be ended instantly, but from what I can see it happens to all around him. Except for Bella, we all know there isn't a chance that we'd risk her being out in the open like that so why bring it up?" Kate stepped forward to Eleazar then, it was far too short a time to expect Edward to be able to gain any true solid control over his gift. It had taken her decades of hard pushing and concentration to be able to better and extend her own ability from just the palm of her hands.

"When he touches..." Bella spoke up then, but found herself falling somewhat silent when all eyes turned to her, she'd been remembering the scene in the diner. How while all others had looked blank or vacant in their facial expressions the touch of his fingertip on Sue had left her eyes wild and fearful as she'd choked on her words. Then also hearing about the way he'd held Esme, as he'd tried to give her comfort through her fear, how the touch had seemed to give him some sense of direction or something to tether himself too.

"What is it Bella? Have you noticed something, of all of us you've seen him in the most unhindered view while using his ability. It's effect may likely hide something from us that it does not hide from you." Eleazar pushed eagerly, as Bella turned to look up into her handsome fiancée eyes, while she knew his ability concerned him, he was smiling down at her reassuringly. Whatever she had to say, he was okay with her speaking it aloud to the rest of the family.

"I'm not sure, but whenever he has physical contact, it seems to me at least the person is more aware... in the eyes. Edward even said he'd felt completely in control while touching Esme's neck as he'd helped her see what he wanted. When he's caused pain, those who have been in contact with him have felt it, but everyone else didn't feel the pain. Though he did cause everyone to stop." Bella said somewhat timidly, not completely sure she knew what she was trying to say, the unblinking, unwavering gaze of Eleazar on her didn't help the matter any as her cheeks flamed and he slowly nodded his head.

"You've given commands while in contact with people? Ones that were not followed by others?" Eleazar asked directly of Edward then his face turning from Bella to meet Edward's, seeing a simple nod. Edward knew he'd forced a command upon Sue Clearwater, all while the entire diner had remained frozen still and unaffected by the command he'd forced to her mentally. Not that he'd intended to do so, he had wished for her to stop and yet the entire diner had and then he'd given her the command to never insult Bella. He'd watched that sink into her very thoughts before he had broken contact. Everyone else had not heard the command that had alone been heard by Sue, he'd been fortunate then, as Bella had also said. Edward knew then, that given the situation they had been in and still were, he likely should have approached Eleazar sooner than he had, and now could see the benefits of Eleazar forcing this to the forefront, before he was to engage in a war with another species that wanted not only him but his entire family dead.

"Perhaps a gift to channel it more directly through touch? Edward, we must push your limits, we have to be sure you can contain this gift. One burst of your talent could likely leave..." Eleazar said more urgently then, the raw power of this untrained gift was exceptional, something he'd have most likely spoken to with Aro in his former life for weeks at a time, as both men tried to unlock the secrets of such a talent. Eleazar was almost certain that within Edward's control may lay the most devastating offensive talent this world has ever known, and beside him, his mate is the most powerful defensive gift just at the beginning of showing any true potential while still human.

"I know I'll have to push myself." Edward cut in, understanding and seeing plans formulate in Eleazar's mind as Edward squeezed Bella's side reassuringly, and looking down at his mate. He knew what was about to begin. And what he was willingly going to endure would not be easy for her to bear witness to. Should she need to be away he'd understand, part of him not only wanting to protect Bella but also not wanting her to see him broken down in the way he knew Eleazar would approach this brutal method of controlling his gift. Edward reacted best with his talent when it came to pain and anger, they had two who could specifically target such emotions and bring them out of him.

"If you feel you can't stay and watch Bella, I'd understand. This won't be easy, for any of us." Edward paused slightly, looking between Eleazar, Kate and then Jasper, already knowing that they would be most likely the ones most affected by what was needed. He needed to be positive that he wouldn't place his family at risk, to do that he had to learn to control it when his gift reacted most strongly.

"I'm not going anywhere Edward. Not until..." the silence in the pause of her sentence hung heavy, both knowing that there would be a point in which Bella could not follow. There would come a time this evening when Bella would be returned to her home, where she would have to explain to Charlie about her leaving on a trip with Edward. That while she was convincing her father that she was going away for a while that all those that she cared for in the world would be running into a war between an enemy that had already taken so much from them. Bella wouldn't be able to help them, she wouldn't be able to know what would happen until either Edward returned to her or he didn't. The thought was terrifying, but she would have to bear her burden in being left behind. For now she couldn't defend her friends and family but soon, so very soon now she would be one of them and then she would take her place beside Edward. She would soon enough be his equal completely, and able to stand by his side no matter the enemy or the challenge before them.

"Bella come stand with me and Tanya. Better we place some distance between you and what my mate has planned." Carmen moved forward, and extended a hand to Bella as she reluctantly looked between Edward and Carmen, catching sight of Eleazar talking in a hushed tone between Kate and Jasper. Though the others were too close by listening in, she could see.

"It's going to be okay Bella. Just be strong love, if you falter so will I, and I can't falter now. I need to be sure I won't be the reason my family are hurt." Edward said, and Bella could see the deep vulnerability in his eyes, already knowing that he took on so much blame for what had already happened to them. For the losses that had already been inflicted on them, and the injuries, and strained relationships they had suffered because he'd decided to fight to save her, so many mistakes and she knew no matter what she did, one day he'd take on every part of the blame. She knew that while he held himself so impossibly strong now, one day he may not always be able to push it down or away. If all he needed was for her to be strong then she'd be as strong as she possibly could, she wouldn't fail him now, wouldn't let him cast another stone on the future scales of his conscious and blame.

"Take care of her Carmen." Edward said, his voice sounding strange to Bella, then as he looked at her firmly and Carmen who was now at Bella's side wrapped her arm tenderly around Bella. Bella couldn't help but feel a foreboding twist her stomach; she wasn't sure what could really help Edward to make sure he learnt control so quickly. All she could remember was how Eleazar had forced Edward's ability to activate by having the odds so dramatically stacked against Edward, she couldn't help but wonder if perhaps this would be far beyond even her own strength of will.

"Edward." Eleazar called, as Bella was finally broken from her sight of Edward's face as he turned to look towards Eleazar, flanked by both Kate and Jasper.

"You believe that this will work, that this method will help me?" Edward asked evenly, his voice far too calm considering what he knew he was subjecting himself to. In many respects this was a test of fire, he'd heard stories from Carlisle and seen from memories some of the more cruel and barbaric ways in which Aro and the Volturi forced those within to learn control. How new-borns brought into the guard were sometimes subjected to endless torment under Jane's talent, around the scent of fresh blood, somewhat brainwashing the new born to expect a searing agony with exposed blood. It was an attempt to help along a new guard member's control, not that it always had the desired affect, many times it had only fuelled the new-born's rage and instincts more. It was an unpredictable test, one Eleazar was using as a last resort, one that Edward couldn't help but agree to. He needed to know he had some sense of control of his gift, he knew his anger and rage would likely become too strong when faced with the reason for so much of his families suffering. He needed to know he wouldn't leave his family defenceless.

Edward refused to be the weak link, for now he'd learn to suppress his gift, then he'd take the time as he should have done sooner, to fully grasp control of his ability.

"It's a temporary solution, one that could likely help in aiding you to find the strength to restrain while feeling the high levels of emotions that have activated your gift in the past." Eleazar said, and even though his words were sure and confident, Edward could also see in his thoughts the lingering concern for what they were about to attempt. How there was a small chance that this could end badly, that it could cause some type of hindrance in Edward's talent's development in the future.

"Let's do this. We need to be ready. The pack is not our only enemy, and I refuse to allow us to sit like children hiding until they see fit to take more from me." Edward said, and he could feel the moment in which Jasper heightened his own determination as the two shared a look, knowing that they would be there for each other. The two had grown exceptionally close during these trying times, both being turned to more for guidance and help, they'd found themselves forced together more openly then they had in the past.

Edward slowly moved forward, facing Eleazar as his ancient mentor in these methods he knew little of, and the closest thing he now had to an elder in this world, now his own father was gone. Eleazar, stepping aside as he pointed towards Peter and Xavier and then pointed to Edward. Edward standing between both Kate and Jasper, both looking increasingly uncomfortable as he slowly lowered himself to his knees. Jasper lowered himself onto his knees as well on the left side of Edward, firmly moving his hand to grip hold of and restrain Edward's left arm, Xavier moving to take purchase of Edward's right side, as Peter moved behind Edward and locked his feet tightly together as he kneeled. The final member of this group, Emmet, finally moving to kneel in front of Edward facing him, both of them sharing a reassuring smile as Emmet wrapped his incredibly strong arms around Edward's torso locking his arms together around his back. The grips on Edward's body were almost impossibly tight now. Rosalie, Rochelle, Charlotte, and Alice all positioned themselves behind their mates to help them hold Edward securely for when the struggle began, and all knew that it would, as Eleazar slowly gave Jasper a nod and then the deep sickening fear and rage seemed to ooze into Edward's every fibre. Almost to the level that he felt he could feel his very skin tingle and vibrate under the surface, this only heightened more by the sheer number of bodies holding him down in this position. The need to escape becoming almost unbearable as he gritted his teeth, both in need to fight and run, while both contrasting, he felt so completely overwhelmed that he'd almost missed the nod of Eleazar's head to Kate.

Edward had briefly in his fear and anger seen the eyes of his beautiful mate in the arms of another vampire, as two hands had taken hold of either side of his head. As two female hands locked his face in place and then he'd felt the beginnings of an agonizing electrical current run through every sensitive and living nerve in his body. All Edward could hear was the sound of a human heartbeat stutter, and the sound of his own agonized cries.


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N Hey everyone, sorry that it took me so long to get the chapter to you guys but I'm working on trying to get things moving faster. I would like to bring to all of your attention to those who already know or those who don't that I received some really cool news the other week. It seems that someone nominated Red Dawn for the Twific Fandom Awards, I was really surprised but really grateful. I'm not aware who nominated Red Dawn or if it was multiple people I just wanted to say thank you too all of you guys who made mention of it so it was at least considered amongst the other nominees. The first round voting has finished but on Saturday (14th November) we'll all find out if Red Dawn made it to the second round and it would mean a great deal to me if you would show your support should we make it through. Voting for the second round starts on Sunday (15th November) and I'll leave a link to the site for anyone who isn't sure where to find it, I know that some of you guys have already voted and thank you for that.**

 **Red Dawn was nominated in the _Favourite Out of this World Fic_.**

 **. / twificfandomawards. .uk/**

 **So fingers crossed guys that Red Dawn makes it through to the second round of voting and even if it doesn't you should all take a look and support. There are some really talented authors with stories up for voting some I'm more then sure you'll all of heard of, I'll admit it was pretty cool seeing my name and story alongside some of my favourite authors on this site for voting. That's all down to you guys though with all the support you've given me and Red Dawn, so to whoever it was that threw my name into the hat thank you. I'll let you all get to the chapter I'm sure you've all been waiting patiently for me to get this too you :)**

 **As Always massive thank you to my Beta, RDoster2012.**

 **BETA READER: RDoster2012**

 **Enjoy :)**

 **RED DAWN**

 **SUMMARY:** Edward had always warned Bella that the pack was dangerous. They are hostile, volatile, and aggressive by nature. She ignored him, testing even Edward's vampire instinct, by staying friends with his enemy, Jacob. One event will change them all. Bella never truly understood the supernatural world; she didn't understand the aggression that lay dormant even in her controlled mate until it was too late. WARNING: Violence and Character Death.

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the Characters.**

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 **Chapter Twenty-Five**

Bella had never believed she'd be able to forget the images that would now be forever frozen in her mind, even though she'd been warned of the effect the change had, she knew these would linger. The complete helplessness she felt, and deep resentment at those around, even though she knew this was all under Edward's own desire to force himself through this training couldn't help her anger. Time had seemed to stand still as she listened and watched. The sound of her fiancé, the man she loved and her mate in the vampire world yelled out in utter agony. Bella, who had been made to stay a good distance away from the group, had been told to hold both Carmen and Tanya's hands to ensure some kind of protection from the bursts of Edward's ability. The only person Bella even desired to protect now was Edward though. She knew that this wasn't anyone's fault, but the irrational part of her mind and the protective side that demanded she protected her mate, the one that they seemed to be torturing, needed to be angry at someone. Even now as once again Edward released his own power over those around him, his entire body seemed to sag, and then he nodded to a refocused Eleazar.

"Again!" Edward demanded, and yet it felt like all she'd watched was constant shortcomings. No matter how much he endured under Jasper's emotional manipulation, and Kate's painful touch, he only seemed to hold off a little longer each time. It didn't matter though, because eventually he always burst forward with his ability, causing those who caused him pain untold agony for a second. That could only be the one thing they considered to be any type of progress; was how quickly Edward was able to pull back from using his ability, he seemed to almost instantly pull his hold away once it reached out from his own body needing to defend him from the onslaught.

"You need to get a better handle on this Edward. Where is that control? Where is the control your father believed rivalled even his own?" Eleazar snarled out, Bella wasn't even sure if that was how he truly felt, or if it was from the excess of whatever Jasper was fuelling through Edward. It seemed to have a reaction in Edward though. From Bella's position the second Eleazar mentioned Carlisle, Edward seemed to find some strength behind the fatigue. Those around him holding tighter as Edward's body powerfully tensed and jerked, almost causing Emmet to fall back as he held his arms tighter around his torso.

"I forget you've become a killer. You've welcomed the beast and the nature you've always denied, and now you can't get a handle on anything, you're failing Edward. Our families are dying and you wish to lead us into battle? All you will lead us into is our death, you are a child playing solider." Eleazar growled, pacing in front of Edward, the rage seemed to spike again but this time nothing came and even Bella could feel the surprise in Carmen and Tanya's hands as they seemed to tense briefly while holding each of her hands.

"I will end you!" Edward roared menacingly, causing Jasper to shift his body even more, his face impossibly tensed and focused, the rage was oozing around Edward almost making him completely feral. Kate reached forward as Eleazar nodded then.

The words that left Edward's mouth were a slur of rage and pain as Kate used her highest charge to send shockwaves through every nerve in his sensitive body. Edward's face visibly trembled under Kate's shocking touch then as he felt his arms try to wrench free from his captives, even then, through his agony and anger he tried to hold onto his own mind. Even then as that all too familiar lash of a whip, it was the most peculiar thing to him as he felt his entire world seem to enhance, like a fog had been cleared from over his mind as if he'd lived in a world of dulled tones not only in sight but sound in that moment and he knew it was his mind opening and linking to all those within his range. During these trials he was learning, seeing signs he'd denied before but this time he was prepared for the retorts, and pain, and so very tired of failing. Edward was so very tired of feeling like the weak link in his family when it was essentially his war he was leading them to. They'd lost Irina, lost Carlisle, and lost Esme; he would not lose another.

The moment that his mind was completely open, and receiving the minds around him, Edward knew they would once again force him harder, the touch on his face only becoming more unbearable. His mind and body screaming for some kind of reprieve, the words that Eleazar shouted towards him almost distant to the hearing that he usually believed enhanced, he felt submerged in water then, until the voices surrounded his being. The sounds of thoughts around him so very loud and unclear seemed to sharpen even more, and despite what his family was making him endure, the belief that he could do it, made his belief so very strong. Still as he continued to fail they believed. They all believed in him, even those he was not close to, even Rosalie who still held so much anger towards him because of his part in helping Esme pass from this world found herself hoping he would succeed, believing he would.

" _Find me Edward, I'm here, focus Edward. Hear my mind, around the pain, around the anger, around my mate's taunting, hear me Edward!"_ A mind he'd barely been even trying to focus on because it hadn't been part of the plan, but of course Eleazar had never wanted to make this easy on him. He was testing, and putting him through trials, Carmen's voice barely a mental whisper now under her own mate's command trying to reach out in her mind to Edward during the agony he endured. Eleazar had never set him up to fail, he wouldn't make it easy though. Edward found his respect for the ancient heightening, his masterful planning and understanding of abilities. He knew eventually Edward would begin to recognise his own signs of the ability starting to lash out, he knew from Edward explaining each scenario that he felt a sharpening in his senses for a moment before he lashed out. They had needed to find a distraction amongst the anger and pain when his mind was most focussed on those around him, to give him reason enough to want to stop his gift. Carmen had that distraction as she called to Edward, showing him, or at least trying to send images of Bella, his mate to him in his instinctual breaking point.

" _For your mate, Edward. For her, you must learn for her. Tame this Edward, like you tamed the hunger. Tame this so you can control it, she loves you, and she balances you. Her gift is not strong enough yet to contain you, so now you must do this alone Edward."_

Carmen's soothing, soft toned, mental voice was so much like his mothers in that moment, even as his body was forced beyond conceivable pain for even his kind, and he latched onto her. He could not latch onto his mate's mind; he could not use her silence now when he needed something tangible, so Eleazar had placed his mate with the task. Then Edward found himself remembering that moment in biology when he'd first inhaled her intoxicating scent, the pure inferno that scent had casted on him. The torment had been unlike anything he'd ever known; he'd created so many ways to have her and yet had somehow managed to wait an entire hour before fleeing. Already she'd enchanted him enough in his crazed hunger to stop him from lunging, and not only ruining his own life, but that of so many others in a slip of his control. While he'd been mocked for it many times, and found himself releasing some of it recently, knew he'd always held much pride in his own restraint.

Edward felt all of the minds around him, felt them all so completely, and he felt that need to strike them down, as he had countless times now in this process of his punishment. The sight of his mate, standing between Carmen and Tanya, holding their hands and looking worried, however seemed to centre him.

His mind, caressing through Kate, and subtly whispering for her to lower her charge until she sent nothing at all through the contact, then Edward targeted Jasper, this battle was unlike a physical one, the emotions were new to him, something he didn't know, but his will fought to allow him purchase in Jasper's mind, beating down upon the anger and fear Jasper was working his powerful influence on, until Jasper felt himself physically gasp at the feeling of a strange presence and found himself pushing himself away from Edward. Jasper all but throwing himself a distance away from Edward, was stunned to feel his brother's presence inside his very mind.

"Yes!" Eleazar said aloud, seeing in the reactions of those around, seeing how Edward remained calm, his face even though pained, slowly morphed, the contentment even in spite of Jasper's manipulation was inspiring.

The silence that over took Edward as Kate's gift drew back into herself was almost haunting to all around them, Eleazar watched as the powers moved through the air back towards their owners in perfect Technicolor, the colours moved and swirled, and created a sound that he could hear through his own ability. Seeing the way in which Edward's colour brightened and reached out to those around him, watching even more intently as he saw the ties that bound Edward's mind to all of those around him, and instead of creating chaos, he took a calm and controlled approach. He had pushed Edward beyond the brink, allowed Jasper and Kate to force untold suffering upon this young leader, and even when he himself had considered buckling, the young man had refused. He'd endured knowing that failing could risk them all; he'd taken his suffering and only desired to endure more until he could be sure. Eleazar didn't believe that even Aro truly knew the potential of this creation of his passed friend Carlisle. For all his respect for the laws and the Volturi itself, Eleazar truly believed he might be looking at one half of the mated pair that could bring about the fall of Aro should he force his own motivations upon this family. Edward could only become stronger, even more so once his mate was no longer human. He hoped for them all to survive the coming fights, only so he could bear witness to that potential coming to life within both Edward and Bella, as immortals bound eternally, everything that he saw with his gift only furthered his beliefs that he was seeing something truly rare to this world.

"I can feel it." Jasper said, as he had moved back towards his own mate, trying to break the physical connection with Edward as the rest of them still held tightly to Edward, surprised that he no longer struggled. Kate still completely unaware that her ability was no longer shocking Edward at all, as she held even tighter looking confused at his relaxed silence.

"It's truly incredible, you can all release him. He's found his tether; he's found his link to some sense of holding this off. Edward was so used to using his gift for command and dominance. He's beginning to see its other side, the gentler subtler side of this amazing ability." Eleazar smiled watching one tie that not even he could truly explain from Edward's ability.

One that went against all that he knew, Bella who was able to defend against abilities, who was silent to Edward's mind had the strongest tie. Where all other ties reached into the very being of the person, through Eleazar's vision this tie wrapped around and embraced Bella completely. As if an invisible barrier kept the tie from breaking through, but allowed the tie to remain strong still. Stronger then all others, it was something that astounded and made Eleazar even more intrigued to what it could possibly mean.

It did answer one question though, about Bella's latent power. Seeing Edward's ability wrapping around Bella like a cobweb of strands, Eleazar could see so clearly the wavering of her shield. For the first time, he was able to see for certain that Bella was a shield, but only due to the fact that Edward's own ability was shimmering around her as it reached out to connect to her. Even his gift, like in reality, it desired to be one with her, as the strands coiled and caressed around her petite form looking for any way to connect completely to her. It was strangely beautiful to his gifted sightseeing the way Edward's own ability seemed to cocoon Bella's own blurred gift, like it too wished to protect her and wrap around her.

"You're sure we're good to let him go?" Emmet asked, still slightly concerned, the only one to not have broken his hold of Edward, the strange silence and relaxed expression on his vacant face worried him that they'd pushed Edward too far.

"Wait." Edward whispered, his eyes parting and looking from Eleazar to then Emmet, and then shaking his head as if clearing a fog as he dropped his connection to whatever it was he had done. Edward wasn't sure he could make an accurate description of the feeling of sharpness he had, it was like he'd seen the world in a way even more enhanced then his usual vampire vision. The way he'd felt like he had physical ties to people, the things he'd shared in through the link in Eleazar's mind, the even more fascinating sight of Bella under his gifts ability protected by her own gift and yet his own still holding onto her completely. He was both overwhelmed and completely exhausted, and yet, he felt confident enough that perhaps he'd found in Bella the answer.

It seemed almost ridiculous he'd not considered it from the very beginning, that she would be the best way to tether his control. Had he not used her all along in the past to hold onto that control? He could only believe that maybe his destruction of his control when fearing for her life had made him doubt his own will to control himself. Or the other alternative, that he'd simply not wanted to, the ability he had, only lashed out when he'd needed it, and was that truly something he desired to stop. Of course he never wished to harm or to force his will upon his family but initially the ability had reacted as a way to protect himself. He still had far too much to learn about the gift he had. For now he would have to believe in himself and if Eleazar was truly correct in the fact that it was his will that allowed his ability to work he would have to will it, so that he could control it.

It seemed oddly ironic that for so long he had doubted himself and loathed all he was, that of course this ability that Eleazar believed was linked to his will had never shown itself. Or once again Edward was faced with the reality that perhaps it had and he'd simply ignored it, as he suddenly understood how he'd been able to hear those within his family for further distances. It had never been that his range of hearing was growing it had been that he was finally seeing those invisible ties that only Eleazar had been able to view within his gift. Edward had seen the strange coils of colour the way they seemed to reach out like tentacles and latching onto those around him. He'd witnessed the levels of strength and perhaps that had been it all along, he'd never been a mind reader he'd just always had access to the minds around him through the ties that seemed to reach out all around him. It was almost too hard for him to think over, even his vampire mind felt pushed to its very limit with trying to decipher the meaning behind all that he'd learnt in such a short time. It only heightened the loss of his father in his grief as he realised the one man who he would have turned to with his theories was no longer with him, that his father who would have listened and tried to help him understand, would forever be lost to him now. Jasper moved to Emmet's side then, feeling Edward's shift in emotions placed his hand on Edward's shoulder.

"I'm okay Jasper." Edward whispered, and he felt that familiar sense of fatigue but not from his brother's influence, this had come from the exertion of pushing his mind and body beyond even immortal limits. Never ending stamina and yet he could feel the exhaustion over his mind, like he needed time to pause, to just allow himself time away from those around him. The need to be alone with his mate was all that he desired in that moment.

"Let's get him up on his feet." Jasper said to Emmet, as the both of them easily pulled Edward onto his feet, the scene peculiar to most around, not understanding the feeling of fatigue due to their enhanced capabilities. Eleazar moving in close to the three males as he reached out and placed a hand on Edward's back, standing beside him as Emmet stepped away after once more looking Edward over and seeing he was somewhat himself.

"You controlled it, even more so then what you did for Esme. While under a great deal of torment too. Do you feel you could at least hold some sense of control during a fight?" Eleazar questioned, his desire to continue working on it very much present at the front of his mind but he knew that time was drawing closer to making plans for their attack upon the pack. It had been a very long time since he'd found himself in the presence of helping one of his kind learn to use their ability, many denied his offer of help simply because of his past as one of the Volturi, fearful should he ever decide to tell the masters of what those gifted amongst their kind could do and they find themselves faced with Aro and his guard.

"I believe I could at least recognise the beginning signs of it becoming more then I can handle. I'm confident I can at least hold myself together enough not to bring all around me to their knees in one thought. I should have thought to use Bella from the beginning; she was always what I used to control my hunger before. My need to always keep her safe." Edward said, truly frustrated that he had not been the one to think that it would work much like he had with his lust for blood, and also the lust he'd carried for her body. He'd used his overwhelming need to keep her safe to stop himself from taking both, though now he knew that his fears had not nearly been as dangerous as he'd believed. His love for her had beaten his need for her blood and his love for her made him incapable of harming her body when all he wished was to love her completely. Man and beast, it seemed almost stupid of him to think that he'd ever believed his beast had ever wished to harm her now. His beastly desires were the ones he found that even the man he was wished for, even in his tired mind he still wished to take her from this place and have her again. He'd unlocked that part of their shared bond, he doubted he'd ever be able to close it ever again, now even with so much around them he found his mind once again straying there.

"Do not be so hard on yourself. Before our testing of your ability it had happened without anything but instinct holding power over you. You reacted, your instincts didn't give your time to think. This was truly the first time you've even tried to gain some sense of control over it, even with Esme. What you did for her came from a place of desperation I'm sure Edward. I can't imagine what you emotionally had to endure to have to do that for her. You can only progress further now Edward, soon we shall be able to test exactly what it is you can do. We've seen you send commands, but what can those commands create? Illusions? Actions? Much is still unknown. I'm willing to continue to offer my help with this long after we make it through these harsher times. I'd also like to offer any assistance with Bella also, our home is isolated from humans it would be an ideal place to introduce her to this life." Eleazar said, and Edward was grateful to him for wishing to assist him in this, Edward had not made his plans to change Bella after this fight known to his family but he would need to. First they would deal with the pack, and then they would need to make it appear that they had left Forks. Edward truly believed that once allowed to channel their complete attention upon Victoria and the new-borns they should be able to get rid of them quickly. Though Edward was completely adamant that he would be changing Bella, as soon as the threat of the pack was dealt with. First he was going to need to get her far from Forks. To create a way to remove her from the lives of those she knew in Forks, and from her parents; he knew that would be most difficult.

"I appreciate that Eleazar, and if you wish I would accept any help you are willing to offer. You've done much to help my family, Bella's change will happen as soon as I can make it possible without the threats looming over us. It's becoming even more clear that I need her as my equal in all ways, even those of us immortal are not incapable of being harmed, leaving her human only risks us both. The longer we prolong it, the more risk we have to those who are human in her life seeing something they shouldn't. I know Charlie is becoming suspicious of what is happening at the reservation but he hasn't said anything, simply because they have made little contact with him. Though one of the council members was asking him questions, which in my anger I did not allow myself to look deeper into what she may have been seeking to find out. It's another of my failings I'm afraid we should have been watching Charlie more closely. I'm not even sure if old ties between the council and Charlie would keep him from being targeted. We end this tonight so it isn't something that can come to pass, she'd be heartbroken if Charlie was harmed in this." Edward said honestly, as he finally looked from Eleazar to Bella, who was finally released from both Carmen and Tanya and moving towards him quickly. He knew he was right to worry about Charlie too, something he'd foolishly looked over, simply because he'd believed the pack's need to kill him and his family would hold priority. Now he wasn't sure if they would target Charlie if allowed to, not only to hurt Bella, but to hurt himself as well, to take Charlie from Bella in such a way would break his mate. He had to believe that they'd likely not done anything to Charlie due to the once standing, old friendship, or his place within Forks itself as the chief of police. Questions would not be easily avoided if he were harmed.

"Bella will be with her father when we plan to strike against the pack on their own lands. Should we not leave one of us with her?" Eleazar asked, concerned, and this was something that Edward had worried over since his choice to make their move this evening against the reservation. His fear that something should happen, that if they should all fail and be destroyed she would be left completely alone and defenceless to their enemies, not only the pack and Victoria but the Volturi as well. Aro knew of her ability, and had made it clear she was to be changed; the thought alone was enough to torment him worse than even Kate's touch.

"There are so many numbers to the pack. While I'm confident in our own numbers and experience amongst our kind I can't help but wonder the same. I want my mate safe, I can't imagine anyone would wish to be forced to stay back while the rest go into this fight where some may be lost. If only Alice's visions were concrete I'd be sure of Bella's safety." Edward had stopped then, as Bella was finally within hearing range of what he was saying. She looked upset, her eyes still slightly puffy and he knew that what she had witnessed him go through had been hard for her. He welcomed her into his arms then, without hesitation as his small vulnerable love had flung her body at him, Edward wrapping his arms as tightly as he dare around her warm body.

"It's okay love. I'm okay Bella." Edward whispered into her hair as she clung to him, her body almost shaking in his embrace while he pressed his lips against her hair. Inhaling the distinct smell of freesia and strawberries that was completely her own, a scent that still now brought the most pleasurable of burns to his throat.

"I'll give you two some space. Edward, perhaps I have a solution to your concern of leaving her alone however." Eleazar said aloud but Edward could see from his mind that there was much he didn't say.

" _While my mate isn't the best fighter within our force, she'd protect your mate to her last breath. I desire to keep her from these wolves, at least then Bella would not be left unaware of our fates if Carmen remained close by. Should they come for her after we were defeated Carmen would get Bella to safety."_

Eleazar offered, sharing a brief final glance with Edward, it was something that Edward knew he would already agree to. He knew that he would allow Eleazar this, it was not only in the interest of protecting Bella but he also knew that this came from Eleazar trying to keep his mate from a fight he didn't believe she was ready for. He himself didn't feel completely ready for this fight with his loss of a limb but he'd spent much longer in this life learning to fight within the guard. Carmen had lived a much more peaceful existence, while there had been moments within her life where she'd had to defend herself it had come after she'd found Eleazar and the two had disposed of the threat together. Edward couldn't begrudge Eleazar wanting to keep Carmen from the coming fight when he knew even if had Bella been immortal he would have wished to keep her from it. Edward was sure many of the mated pairs within his family and friends would desire to keep their other half from harm, it came from the need to protect. They couldn't allow that however, this enemy while vulnerable still had many ways to end them, they could use the numbers they now possessed to destroy. They'd already proven they could, now Edward would punish them for believing they could do so without consequence.

Bella clung to Edward, she didn't want to let him go, and yet she knew that the time was coming, and that would be so much harder than even having to watch him suffer. She knew that soon enough she would have to return to her home, that she would be left alone, and would be forced to sit and wait as her family went to fight in a war that she'd had as much a hand in creating. Many of her choices had lead to this moment, for all the blame, she knew her own mate took upon himself, and she knew she had as much guilt in it.

Time was up and she hated that she couldn't take her place at his side, she hated that her family and friends would be walking into danger while she would be safe. The chance of forever was all but one fight away, one fight away from her being able to join Edward as his equal in every ways, but she knew and felt this may become one of the greatest trials they'd ever had to face. This fight between the pack and her family would challenge them all in ways she didn't even want to linger her own thoughts on. Bella could feel it in the very pit of her stomach that the drastic changes that had been happening around her were not over, like a looming dark cloud that still had yet to truly wash away everything.

She could only pray and hope that in the end Edward was able to defeat their enemies, and not succumb to the grief she knew was inside of him, once all their enemies were beaten. She had the easier task of explaining to her father that she was leaving with Edward on vacation, even if he questioned it, and she knew he would. Talking to Charlie was by no means difficult in comparison to what she knew Edward would have to do; he would need to lead all of those closest to them into danger. All eyes would be on him, the amount of pressure he'd have to endure not only by others but by himself too. It made Bella even more grateful to know how much Jasper had been unwavering at Edward's side from the beginning, even in her moments of weakness at the start of this, he'd never once faltered.

"You're sure your okay?" Bella finally asked, looking up into his calm face, but she could see the seriousness in the harder tones around his eyes, knowing that he wasn't as free as they had been together hours earlier. Still, even while Bella wished she'd allowed Edward to convince her to remain in his bedroom in the bed they shared together, she couldn't regret that perhaps he'd been able to find some control with his gift. Even watching him fight against those in his family had allowed her an insight of how he was able to defend himself, seeing him best so many of his family, some with what had appeared almost complete ease, while it had been nerve wracking, it had instilled some confidence in her that he wasn't nearly as vulnerable as she may have feared. The disturbing reality of her own mind reminding her constantly that he'd bested three wolves all alone with her injured and not been harmed. Bella finding that she was slowly refusing to see the wolves as the boys and men they had been, as if denying them the names she'd once called them by would completely remove any once former memory of them. She didn't want to feel sympathy or guilt or even shame for what was coming to the men she had once considered friends, now they were simply the wolves. The pack that had harmed her, that had killed Irina and Carlisle and Esme. They didn't deserve her guilt, especially when she knew how much pain Edward had and would continue to suffer because of them.

"Love, I'm fine. While Kate's ability hurts, it isn't something that lingers, at least not once her touch and the initial pain is gone. I'm fine Bella, the emotions weren't truly my own but manipulated by Jasper too. I'm okay, well as good as okay as I could be." Edward said softly, cupping her cheeks into his hands, and softly running the pad of his thumbs beneath her eyes as he looked down at her, trying to reassure her and yet also memorise every single detail of her face. Knowing now how completely she owned him that even his own ability seemed to find just a hint of control within his need to not fail her. To never fail his mate. There was also the dawning dread of separation coming; he knew he would need to take Bella home now. Edward knew that the time to make actions to complete the final plans for what was to come had to be done now. They had to be carried out now, while she'd been strong and by his side, not once questioning the need to end the pack. Edward still wanted to protect Bella from that violence, from the planning of the deaths of people she had once viewed as friends. Also he couldn't help but feel it was beneath her somehow, that allowing her to be present may make her see him in a light that he'd yet to reveal, even in all that had happened. Even in his anger he had not explained to her the process of what his killing of the pack would be, he wanted to protect her.

"It's time isn't it?" Bella felt her throat close up at her own question, the tenderness in his touch and the gentle way his eyes -even in the strange red hue with specks of gold- looked over her face. It made her throat tighten and the pit of her stomach churn, that moment when she knew she would have to part from him. It made her want to be the girl from what had been weeks ago, even though her mind and body felt she'd lived a lifetime in those days that had gone. She knew in the past she would have clung onto Edward, she would have cried and pleaded with him and she would have essentially made him weaker. She would have challenged that very will that made him so formidable and powerful now, all this time his talent had been in his will and she'd been his ultimate weakness. Countless times she could remember now with clearer sight how she'd broken his will, even when all his beliefs had argued against her. He has always been so strong for her and now she would have to be as strong for him. Bella felt her resolve tighten as if somehow Jasper was beside her helping her, but knowing this was of her own doing. Maturity had finally found her in ways not even she had known she'd needed to grow, clarity to a world and relationship she'd once taken for granted. To cry and plead now would make Edward doubt, and sending him into this fight doubting everything could risk not only Edward but also all of them. Her family, the friends she had made through these times, even the future of a life she wanted, still even amongst so much heartbreak.

"I won't be leaving you alone. Eleazar believes it would be a smart choice to have Carmen stand guard over you. So should anything... should I not make it... should we fail this night…" Bella pressed her hand over Edward's mouth, seeing the struggle, seeing that moment in which he realised that his own mortality was under question, he'd lived over a century in a life he'd seen more of a curse. So many times he'd wondered and pleaded for an end, and now with all he could ever hope for standing before him, he found himself pleading for more time. His death could be upon him and instead of embracing it like he'd been ready for before Aro, now he wanted more time. He needed more time, he had barely lived, and he'd wasted the second life his father had given him when he'd been dying of the Spanish Influenza, which had taken the lives of his human parents. Now with Carlisle and Esme both leaving him an orphan and facing the chance of his own destruction and losing Bella, he saw how much of his existence he'd wasted. To long he'd wasted his life mourning what could have been, instead of being thankful for what was and is.

"You'll come back to me. You always come back to me Edward. If it makes you clearer minded to have Carmen watch over me I won't argue it. But please... just don't think of that... we're so close now. So close to our forever you can't for a second think it won't happen. You'll do what must be done and you'll return to me, and I will be waiting Edward. I'll always be waiting." Bella said strongly, even if her mind and heart were conflicted, even if right in that moment she could have pleaded for him to run and she knew there might have been a chance to completely convince him of simply leaving. Had she truly begged of him anything, he would have given it, but with her words she could see that it strengthened his resolve as he stood straighter, his eyes taking a more serious edge to them, as he leaned forward resting his forehead against Bella's.

"I love you. No time with you would be long enough. But let's start with forever." Edward whispered huskily as those around the two found themselves moving to those they cared for most. Groupings of two forming all around the clearing of space, the final moments of love and tender words being shared, they all knew what was about to happen this evening, that while the enemy was not nearly as indestructible as they were they held the numbers and ferocity to destroy them.

"Forever. I love you." Bella leaned in closer, removing any distance, no matter how little between them as she kissed his cool thin lips, her hands fisting at the torn shirt that clung to his chest still.

"Come on love." Edward whispered against her lips as the two finally pulled apart, but their hands coming together almost naturally without even thought as they walked towards the rest of their family hand in hand.

Jasper and Carmen were both waiting ahead of everyone else for the two, the decision that would have Carmen removed from the fight was something she didn't completely agree with. She did however understand not only her own mate's fears but Edward's also, if they ever hoped to have his mind clear and free from worry over his mate as he fought, he'd need to know she was protected. Carmen knew of all of those she was the least capable in fighting, even within the training she had taken on with Jasper, and even taken to trying outside of normal sparring she wasn't confident facing this enemy. The attack that had left her helpless watching her mate and family fighting those large beasts had terrified her. Even more so when the one had chased her from the scene as she'd clung to the severed arm of Tanya. Carmen had lived a mostly peaceful life and while she wanted to fight beside her family, she feared her own mate too would only come to harm worrying over protecting her. At least remaining behind would mean she could protect Bella, their most vulnerable member, and also perhaps the most important. Carmen truly believed that in Edward, they held the key to protect all of their family. Carmen seeing no divides between them, all those who stood with her now was family, and Edward would forever be someone she believed would lead them all through life now. The subject had been broached many times in the last few days between not only herself and Eleazar, but both Tanya and Kate, that instead of remaining separated they would ask to join Edward and the rest of the Cullen's. That no longer would they be distant friends but of the same coven, these harsher times and grief inflicting events had bonded them all together. At least for now, and the foreseeable future, the Denali coven found themselves honestly believing they would benefit from residing and remaining part of the Olympia Coven, that under the leadership of Edward, and the teachings at least in battle from Jasper, they would be safer all together, also the deeply set belief, that they could not leave them after what they had all lost.

Sticking together felt like the only option, when they had both lost so much.

"I'll be taking Bella home. You'll prepare everyone back at the house for the plans; I know you've already been thinking of a way to draw the wolves out away from human sight. I'm hoping to catch them by surprise; too many times they'd caught us off guard. They have managed to single our numbers out when we have been fewer. I'm trusting you have something to obtain such a strategy brother?" Edward said, looking to Jasper, mentally Jasper showing images so fast and quick that even Edward found himself truly impressed with the layered mind of his warrior brother. Jasper may believe Edward a weapon all unto himself, but Edward would always know to never underestimate Jasper, even with his own abilities he knew on a level playing field that Jasper would best him. He found himself somewhat thankful that time would never come, and that the both of them would never be at odds and he himself without his gifts.

"I've already been speaking with both Peter and Emmet. Xavier seemed interested in perhaps breaking away with his own mate Rochelle, to break away and use her gift to sneak through. Play as a type of bait to draw some of the pack deeper into the forests where it would be more prudent for us to have this confrontation. We do not want to fight the large numbers they have in open space, the trees would act well as barriers for us to move amongst. It's only an idea, but I have many more. Don't worry of that." Jasper said with an air of cockiness to him, as he tapped his own temple, but then found his eyes turning to look in the direction where Eleazar and Alice were sharing a very hushed conversation, that none could hear even with their enhanced hearing. Edward could however pick up that Alice was finally approaching Eleazar about her own gift, the reason behind her visions failing her, and feeling that she wasn't in control of them anymore. It had surprisingly taken her longer to talk with Eleazar then Edward would have believed it would have. Normally confident and never one to be cynical, Alice hadn't felt like herself since her visions had fallen beyond her control.

" _She fears they may never come back. Much of what she sees now is unintentional, random visions that are beyond her control. When she does see things it's more than just a single moment. Like with seeing the arrival of Peter and Charlotte and also you... with Esme."_ Jasper said, finally turning his eyes to Edward as he spoke to him mentally, not wishing to voice his own concerns over his own mate's fears. Many of them were now facing those last moments of struggle and self-doubt, all believing they weren't nearly as ready as they would have to be to survive the coming fight. Edward silently reached towards Jasper, even in the fatigue he'd once felt before, trying to once again reach towards Jasper mentally with his gift. His hand clasped in Bella's as he touched and made contact with Jasper's shoulder and neck, all but trying to use and channel his own control through Bella to be able to do this. He felt the binding that was to his brother, the sharpening of hearing Jasper's own mind as they looked into each other's eyes.

" _Have faith. Believe that she will find a way. Even in the blackness of her second sight she still sees around it. Perhaps not gone but simply subdued."_ Jasper's eyes widened as he heard the clear tone of his own brothers voice in his mind, looking at him shocked that he'd been able to do so, but knowing the vast difference between what he'd experienced countless times during their training and this moment here where he simply heard Edward's voice. The stunned gaze of Jasper shaking his head as he looked at Edward and then turned to Eleazar and seeing in Edward, just what Jasper knew Eleazar believed was there. This gift that Edward had, was far more then what any of them could understand. The fact Edward was already using it, even if in only small amounts with little effort showed what it could really become.

"It's good to see that some confidence has allowed you to use that gift instead of forcing it away. It's just the beginning though, we still have much to deal with. That gift being one of them, it seems almost endless. What you could simply will to happen." Jasper said aloud, both Carmen and Bella watching the men intently, but realising that Edward had done something, that he'd somehow managed to say something to Jasper without speaking at all. Both women realising that Edward had used his gift again without it lashing out and violently harming anyone around them, that he'd been able to use only the contact of skin that time, between himself and Jasper only.

"We don't have to hide from our abilities any longer Jasper. Not you or I, not even Alice. She isn't blind, she has still seen around the wolves. Let Eleazar speak with her as long as he needs, I believe Eleazar knows all he needs to know to be able to help Alice get her visions to return to her. My sister and your mate, isn't nearly as beaten as she may feel." Edward said with an edge of pride and confidence that made Jasper smile, and Edward truly believed from only the brief hints of what he could see in Eleazar's mind, that this ancient former Volturi guard would help Alice as he'd helped Edward's own ability.

"You ensure the safety of my sister and then return to us brother, because I have plans. Tonight we finish what these creatures started and then I shall hunt down the woman who seeks revenge against you while you make this mated bond more permanent." Jasper pointed between Edward and Bella and then moving forward, squeezing Edward's forearm before leaning forward and pressing his lips to Bella's cheek.

"Do not fear Bella. Do not fear for us, fear for those who oppose us. Pray for them if you feel the need, we will end this tonight and then we shall prepare for your rebirth into our family. It will be very nice not to feel such hunger around your presence." Jasper said with the underlined tone of the devastation and destruction he planned, but even in what he said Bella found herself smiling as he grinned at her. The fact that they could even joke about her scent making him hungry showed just how far they had all truly come. Jasper, who in the past, had been all but told to keep his distance and he himself had happily done so for fear of his lust for human blood, now stood before her able to be so close while teasing her about her scent.

"Just be safe Jasper." Bella said simply, not only wishing for him to be safe for her and Edward, but for Alice too, she couldn't stand the thought of losing anyone else. They had already lost too much. Jasper saluted Bella once more, smiling before moving to join Peter and Charlotte who were talking with Both Tanya and Kate, the sparring was over, the practice and preparing was done, now was a time for drawing battle plans and Bella knew that this time her place was away from her family. It would not forever be this way but for now her place was to be away from them so she didn't risk them. She was vulnerable, she was human and the mate of a vampire that led this coven and family, leaving herself open to harm risked them all. She would swallow her fear, and stay within her home with her unaware father and her protector of a vampire whose own mate would be lunging into battle alongside her own mate.


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N Hey everyone, First I'd just like to say that I hope you all had a nice thanksgiving weekend, at least those of you that celebrate the holiday to those of you who don't I hope you just had a good weekend. I'm sorry that it took my so long to get the chapter updated for you guys but things have just been busy recently. It's the holidays period which means everything is hectic I'm sure all of you are aware of that :P so with that I'd just like to say that the next chapter may take a little to get updated but be patient. This chapter is very important in the story for what I've been building towards but believe me your all in for a huge treat with the next chapter. So it'll be worth the wait you may all have to endure for me to get it looking perfect before it's posted, so thank you all for being patient with me. I won't leave you guys waiting any longer and I'll let you all get to the chapter.**

 **As Always massive thank you to my Beta, RDoster2012.**

 **BETA READER: RDoster2012**

 **Enjoy :)**

 **RED DAWN**

 **SUMMARY:** Edward had always warned Bella that the pack was dangerous. They are hostile, volatile, and aggressive by nature. She ignored him, testing even Edward's vampire instinct, by staying friends with his enemy, Jacob. One event will change them all. Bella never truly understood the supernatural world; she didn't understand the aggression that lay dormant even in her controlled mate until it was too late. WARNING: Violence and Character Death.

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the Characters.**

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 **Chapter Twenty-Six**

The tension was thick in the car, but there was also a sense of foreboding as Edward drove towards Bella's home. Only the sound of the rain pelting against the rooftop could be heard. Edward continued to run his thumb along the back of Bella's hand as they kept contact with each other, the rain oddly soothing his own concern as well as the melodic sound of her heartbeat. Carmen had opted to run alongside them both in the cover of the tree lines that surrounded them; she'd shared a long and heartfelt goodbye with her own mate Eleazar, before leaving with Edward and Bella.

With an unspoken desire, Bella and Edward hadn't broken contact with each other for even a moment when the practicing had finished, neither wanting to leave the other. But knowing that now was the time for action, as they'd earlier approached the Cullen home the sky had opened down on them and the rain had began to pour harsher still. It only grew harsher still once they had begun the drive to Bella's home where she'd be left behind. It seemed only more ironic and daunting as the grey sky seemed to sweep in with a harsh breeze that bit at the warm skin on Bella's face. The day had started so bright and hopeful even in the heartache and chaos that had happened around them, and now as she would allow all those she cared for to walk into danger the sky seemed to match her own fear. As tears steadily trickled down her cheeks silently, the raindrops cascaded down her window; Edward remained silent, but still just as comforting as they savoured each other.

So much could go wrong, so much more could be lost, much more than what has already been lost.

Bella wasn't sure she could take this much longer, and yet knew she'd do so to have Edward, to finally have forever with him. It was so close, the sparks of what they could be together, what they could share if they just survived, was all she could cling on to. The morning they had shared, embracing the love they had, so intimately she knew him and he her, and now she knew what devastation it would cause to have it taken from her. She wouldn't regret it though, not a moment of the life she had already shared with him, not the obstacles already overcome and those that promised to still come. Once upon a time she'd been a naive girl who had loved and yet not understood the depth of the love she had, she'd believed herself broken once when he'd left her. Only to take advantage of it when that love had returned to her, then she had her eyes awoken to so much; she'd matured in a moment that had ultimately been her own mistake.

Now she knew that not even those months without him could promise to make her understand what would truly become of her should she lose him now. Now she'd felt the true strength of the supernatural bond that tied them together, not that she knew the lengths not only Edward would go but also she would go to keep him. Her part in this was to stay behind and she would, she'd convince Charlie of her part, explain to him the coming trip that she and Edward had planned. She'd lie better then she had ever had to lie before to finally tie away all those loose ends.

Her time as Bella Swan was coming to an end. She had to hope that her life as Bella Cullen would soon enough be hers completely to revel in. The threats were still so many and dangerous but this one, a threat she'd once viewed as a harmless prejudice between species. The threat of the pack she'd found she'd never truly known, could be ended this evening, how the loose ends that would be left could be explained she'd never know, or if her family realised the true depth of how unlikely it was that they'd be able to hide so much death.

So much was on the line now.

"I need you to know. I need you to understand, every choice I've made... every single one, I would endure again to have you. Of course I wish I could have spared us some of my mistakes. Time apart, that should have never come to pass. I won't let this be the end of our story Isabella. I won't let this be our final chapter." Edward said fiercely, with a burning confidence in his beautiful eyes, as Bella turned to look at his handsome face. Memorizing every curve and line of his features, every curled eyelash that surrounded his still red eyes, but the hint of gold at the edges. She felt her eyes greedily take him in, never wanting to admit but knowing this could be her last time to ever see his flawless handsome face. She couldn't let herself linger there those thoughts too dark, too heartbreaking to experience.

"I know. I trust you. From the very first moment, till our very last, I will trust you and love you always." Bella brought their joined hands to her lips, brushing her warm lips over his cool knuckles, the tightness around Edward's own chest heightening, he was ready and yet he still couldn't help the fear that sat in his gut. The terrifying thought that he might never see her beautiful heart shaped face again, that he'd never see those deep chocolate brown eyes looking deeply into the soul he'd once believed he'd not possessed.

"Just be prepared love. Prepare for my return; ease Charlie into the lie that we must leave him with. I know it's one more lie that you've been forced to tell, but we can no longer stay in Forks. We'll take care of him, our family will watch over him while I take you from here. Somewhere I can bring you into this world as my true equal. Are you ready for this Bella? Are you ready to make that choice? I need to know now, so much hangs in the balance and..." Edward was silenced by Bella's soft smile pressed into the back of his hand as he turned from his gazing at the growing slick road back to his mate.

"I'm ready Edward, I'm only scared of the mess we'll leave for Charlie to deal with. I'm scared of what those who remain from the conflict might say or tell him. I'm scared of every time I think of how they could hurt him. How him not knowing any of the secrets places him in so much danger and yet knowing if he knew he'd never be able to live with it, and he'd only be in even worse danger." Bella explained and she could feel the edges of her own hysterics, not only at the situation of what Edward was walking into and leading his family into because of her choice, but there was also the fear that Charlie would come to harm, that even should they beat the pack, that this would all hurt Charlie.

Many of the people in La Push were important to Charlie, many tied into the pack and the council were friends he'd had his entire life. Billy who had once been his best friend, now the two hadn't spoken since Jake's death. Sue his girlfriend, who had lost her daughter and possibly would lose her son, how could they ever be together, how could Charlie do anything when Bella knew Sue hated her as much as any of the Cullen's. Would she hurt her father emotionally due to something completely out of his control, and yet Bella selfishly wanted Sue and Charlie away from each other.

"I can only promise that we'll watch over him Bella. I can't make promises that those Charlie once viewed as friends will ever be accepting of him. If we've learnt anything of those within the pack and council, it's that their hate and grudges run deep. We won't let anything happen to your father Bella, I promise I won't let harm come to him love." Edward swore and knew he'd do everything he could to ensure Charlie was safe. That even once he took Bella away, he'd make sure to have someone watch over Charlie Swan. His father in law, the man he'd come to respect even in spite of the many difficulties that the two of them had shared. Charlie loved his daughter; he was to his basic bones a good man, a man who believed in law and the rules that society held. It was also one of the reasons Edward knew that Charlie could never know the truth, he liked his small town, and he enjoyed his life simple without complications.

Edward pulled into the driveway behind Charlie's police cruiser, inhaling the scent of his mate, as he turned his body more towards her and then reaching forward, cupping her face in his two large hands as he leaned forward, brushing his lips against her forehead, then tenderly tracing his lips over both of her cheeks and then finally pressing his lips against her own. The kiss, deeply longing and beautifully sweet, to anyone present they would have been able to witness the underlining reality that this young couple were facing uncertainty, the heartbreaking unknown that loomed over both. As Bella found her hands twisting into Edward's shirt trying to pull him even closer still, as if she could embrace him completely and never have to let go ever again, the kiss slowed to gentle chaste pecks, both feeling the need to control their panted breathing. Even with one unneeded of such a bodily function.

"Go. Bella go before I find myself unable to leave." Edward said, and once again Bella found herself knowing she had to be strong now, even though she didn't want to be. If she panicked and pleaded now they'd all be lost. She chewed on her trembling lip, then pressing her lips to his once more so softly and brief it left Edward still leaning into her kiss as Bella pulled away.

"I'll be waiting for you. Don't leave me waiting too long Edward." Bella whispered, and then for possibly the first time in their relationship Bella exited the car without Edward's help; both knowing that he was holding himself in place by a very fine thread of restraint. Edward swallowing against the build up of venom as he watched every step his mate took towards her home. She didn't look back to him, he was thankful she didn't. Even amongst the rain hitting the roof of his car he could still hear the sound of her hitching breath as she cried. Edward remained frozen in his position until the door of her home closed behind her, and then he felt his body move almost as if on autopilot reversing smoothly and driving a few houses down from her home as Carmen moved into the moving car's passenger side, sitting beside Edward then but not saying anything. Edward finally turning to face Carmen as she now took up the seat that had only moments before Bella had been sitting in.

"You protect her. Even a hint of danger and you get them away from here Carmen. You get Bella and her father far from Forks. I won't let this be my end; if she's in danger I'll find you. Keep her safe Carmen. I..." Edward found himself struggling for words as he pulled the car to a stop once again and Carmen's hand stilled over his own on the steering wheel to silence him, understanding the fear better then he'd be able to explain.

"I'll do everything in my power to keep her safe for you Edward. Now go, our family is waiting. End this, for all of us. Avenge our fallen family members Edward, unleash that darkness that lies inside you and don't stop until they're all dead. Not a single one of them Edward, don't let a single one of them live with the chance to harm us again!" Edward turned to the fierce gaze that was on Carmen's face.

Edward had always believed her very much like Esme in her mind set, but now he found a more hostile woman. A vampire that was tired of the pain; so exhausted of the tears that couldn't be shed for loved ones that had been taken from her. While she knew she wasn't as able, she wanted her pound of flesh too. Carmen once compared to herself tender mother, but both having a dormant monster sitting in wait, he knew she'd do all she could to protect his mate. Now he had to believe that he and his family would be able to protect and fight together to end those who wished to destroy them. Edward could feel the edges of that long forced down rage on the edges of his very being, the rage that he'd feared as it had found him unable to control his new gift. He knew he could embrace the rage now without lashing out, he had unleashed his rage before on these shifters, and he would do so again.

"Be aware of anything. Even a hint of something... you go Carmen. Take them far and I'll find you. Nothing, not even defeat will keep me from her. Keep her safe as I destroy our enemy." Edward said with finality, as he stepped out from his car and into the harsh rainfall, the cold temperature almost feeling warm against his skin as the rain clung to him already.

Edward ran towards his home now, it didn't feel much like a home any longer, destruction caused from conflicts that had occurred within. Broken flooring, crumbled walls, the once pristine home was falling apart inside; and yet still oddly looked perfect visually from the outside. Edward knew that they would never return to Forks once they left, that any history that this place held would be buried with those who had been lost. This place that should have been something special, the place that he found his true love and became whole would also be tainted by the horrors that had happened within this small rainy town.

The place he'd found his mate would also be the place that he buried the ashes of his mother and father, the place that he'd killed again since his decades of abstaining from harming any creature that wasn't an animal since his rebellion. It was time to put away old beliefs and ways now though, he was a vampire, he was a man of both sides, he knew now that he was not simply one half. To be able to hold dear to him all that he treasured and adored, Edward knew that there was also need for his darkness.

The La Push pack had awoken that darkness completely and now they had provoked his fury even more, he had allowed so many things to give him pause. Edward knew even in his own failings that he'd tried to also give his family more time; by stopping himself, he'd allowed his enemy more time to prepare. No longer, Edward knew what he was, he knew the man he was to become. He was a leader, he was a brother and fiancée, his place could not have been any clearer to him, Alice's vision had always been known, and it had taken the love of a human to bring it forward. It had taken mortality to show him that even in his unyielding state he too could change, that even he was capable of both good and evil. It had taken the complete acceptance of finally being who and what he was to free him from the layered restraint and control that had hidden so much of himself from not only those around him but even himself.

Edward found his family and friends already in the living room standing around the once standing dining room table, now a large map of the surrounding area of Forks was pinned down. Jasper stood at the front of the table, in his mind he'd clearly been waiting for Edward's arrival back, but he'd already been making brief and decisive comments to those around for what they would need to do. Edward would entrust much of the planning and strategy behind this attack in Jasper's hands. While they may look to him as the leader of this force, Edward knew that Jasper's experience and talent for this art form far out shined anything he could hope to create with his own planning.

Edward's desire was simple, he wanted to kill Sam Uley, he wanted to kill the alpha and as many of those that stood to defend the pack leader and who had taken his father from him and forced his hand against his own mother. It was only the rational part of his mind that knew he could lose, should he rush in, that held him from crossing the treaty line to hunt them all down, just as he crossed it once before to save Bella. Only knowing that he potentially could protect his family better by not rushing in did he find himself standing around the table beside Jasper, as they looked over the surrounding land between that of their home and Forks, and that of the reservation.

Edward could see already though that this was where Jasper was truly in his element, something he'd not just gained from his life as a seasoned warrior, but from his human life as well. He was pleased not only that he had Jasper to entrust such plans being put into place, but also that this didn't torment Jasper. Much of Jasper's existence plagued him; at least this was something he could still hold some pride in.

"Moving into the pack's territory should be fairly simple. From what we've seen in the past, we know that they take a perimeter check that spans a wide U shape of their land. Unfortunately to go around and loop into the open space they don't watch over would be too time consuming, something I know we are all not interested in." Jasper pointed over the map, dragging his finger along the course that the pack took for scouting and protecting their own lands in the past. Even then, that to Edward made him believe he should have seen the signs sooner, from the beginning the wolves had constantly tried to protect their lands from them. Even when there had been no signs or even moves from his family to ever break the promises that they had made so many decades before. The distrust and hatred had been there from the beginning, they'd been positive of the coming threat, now they would finally have reason to protect the land.

"So what's the plan? We just cross into their land and head straight for them?" Xavier asked, a little sceptical then as he pointed his finger to the small area that was La Push and where those of the tribe lived. Many of them human, and likely fearful of the pack as any human should be, Edward knew that from what little he'd seen that evening in Billy's mind that the people of La Push were not happy. They did not feel protected they felt threatened and scared, not only of the boys who lacked any control but also of the bloodlines that could potentially make their own sons and daughters change. Not even the girls were viewed as safe from the transformation after Leah made the change.

"Crossing into their land, essentially yes. We'll walk right on in; we'll break into pods of no less than three and follow the perimeter checks they carry out. Any wolves we cross must be dealt with quickly. End them fast and without any hesitation, we need to make them feel like they are surrounded. We need to make them know that we are closing in. We can't take the fight to the streets of La Push. While some humans may know of what we are we just can't risk that level of exposure. The wolves may not fear the world, knowing what they are but we have rules that must be held in place." Jasper said firmly, all knowing that the exposure of what was about to happen could already make them guilty enough. There was no hope of attention not being drawn to Forks, with the coming deaths, even with what was taking place in Seattle. Edward had to believe that the Volturi and Aro were at least somewhat aware; his only confusion was why they hadn't stepped in already. The deaths in Seattle had been happening for longer than they should have ever been allowed, it was clear to any who knew that it was vampires. Even clearer still to an ancient such as Aro that it was not simply an uncontrollable vampire but an army of such creatures.

"What of the disposing of the dead once we handle the task at hand? We haven't even begun to speak of how we'll cover so many deaths in one swoop. Authorities will hear of the deaths of so many men, especially within a tribe such as La Push. Your mates father will be one of them to learn of what has happened, how can we hope to kill these men and not be exposed in such a way?" Eleazar questioned and Edward placed his hand on Jasper's shoulder to stop him from continuing, this was a question he knew he himself would need to answer.

"We've decided to stage an accident. We'll have to move quickly, but we believe it's possible that we may be able to stage a house collapse that'll explain the death of some of the men. At least the more prominent members of the tribe." Edward said, and he knew how lacking the plan sounded, they had tried to think over many ways to cover so many deaths but it had nearly been impossible. They had almost come around to the stealing of a pathogen that could be released to the locals of La Push. It had been one Carlisle had expressly refused to consider, Edward too had been able to agree to such a way to cover the deaths that he was planning, such a pathogen being released promised no control at all.

There was also the risk that such a disease being released to the public could cause more innocent deaths than any of them wanted, they wanted to destroy the pack but they didn't wish to harm the humans within La Push. Many of those in La Push could be considered no more than victims to not only the pack, but also the council that had resorted to protect the shifters over their own people. Then there was the potential threat to that of Forks and even Port Angeles should the pathogen spread and fan out even further, they didn't wish to risk a pandemic in their need to hide the deaths of the pack. An accident was the best solution; a housing structure collapsing killing so many would raise questions of course, but Edward knew however, that many would know as he did that the pack would return to Sam's home, that many of them spent time in that home together rather than apart.

"This is all undetermined of course. We know the council will never reveal the deaths; they've already covered such acts before with those that have died. They may want to destroy us and believe they can but those of the council once the pack is destroyed will have no protectors. They know of our leaders, know what would become of them should they expose the supernatural world. The entire tribe would be massacred; it would become another mysterious unexplained tale of a town being wiped out over night. A tale that conspiracy shows spoke of, but never truly touched upon the truth, we all know of places that exist such as this. The south has remained all but unaware even though a war has continued on that soil for centuries now. The humans will always believe the lie as long as it's more believable then the truth." Jasper continued after Edward, he too feeling the same trepidation in the part of the plan that required clean up after the deaths of the pack, should they win which Jasper truly believed they would. He had complete confidence that he could lead his family through this with Edward, without losing any of them. He knew the pack were far more dangerous than they had been, but he had a weapon in his own arsenal unlike anything he'd had before in his existence. In Edward, Jasper believed he had the equivalent to a nuclear warhead.

"What splits within the group were you thinking Jasper?" Kate spoke out, wanting to move the topic back to the plans; while she too did not wish to bring down the wrath of the Volturi for exposure, she wanted her chance to kill the wolves. Too long she'd been made to sit back, mourning her sister, remembering the sight of Irina's head torn from her body before she'd been made helpless under the attack of the wolves. The constant reminder on her new human sister, the scarring and stitching that marked her face, something that ebbed a fire in her to protecting the young woman that had come to mean a great deal to her.

"I thought it best to place us within groups we'd be somewhat familiar with. Kate, Tanya and Eleazar. Emmet and Rosalie with Peter and Charlotte. Edward, Alice and myself. I wasn't really sure where to place Xavier and Rochelle, though it would seem you already had a place in mind that you wished?" Jasper turned his gaze to Xavier, who shared a look with his own mate, as she nodded confidently placing her hand upon his shoulder as he stepped closer looking over the map.

"Seems pretty clear to me. You want to draw those bloody dogs out, Rochelle is awfully hard to find and I've always been good at finding her." Xavier turned to look back at her with a mischievous grin, Edward could see then within Xavier's mind that he was willing to place himself very much in the thick of this battle. Would even make himself bait as to help draw the pack out and to where they wanted them most.

"After the initial running of the perimeter. Killing any of those we come across, I'd make the suggestion that Rochelle and I move into La Push. She can keep herself hidden from sight but her scent will still be there for them to follow, and I've got no problem making my presence clear to them all. We won't engage, we'll wait until we've got them into the surrounding forest area, Rochelle and I can run across each other making our scents overlap, confuse them. They'll likely expect that you're all involved but then that comes down to Jasper. Seems the sergeant here is more the thinker for actual battle plans, I've always just been good at causing other's to chase me." Xavier turned to Edward shooting a wink in his direction, the cause between their first meeting. His being in danger after aggravating a coven of other immortals that Edward had in a rare moment felt the need to step in and help aid Xavier. They had spent a long time together after that initial meeting and Edward had learnt quickly that Xavier had a talent of rubbing individuals the wrong way.

"Is it something that could work Jasper?" Edward turned from his shared look between himself and Xavier back to his brother, as Jasper's mind worked furiously over scenarios. He did enjoy the thought of using both Rochelle's subtle leaving of a scent but hidden appearance and Xavier's blatant presence to draw the wolves out. The best way for them to end this was to destroy the wolves all at once, even though they no doubt had the numbers now they couldn't risk any surviving, for them to plan an attack later. The timing would need to be perfectly set between Xavier and Rochelle drawing the pack into the selected location and the rest of the pods that they had been split into converging on the unsuspecting pack. Even a second off and it could not only leave Rochelle and Xavier without back up but it could leave many of the groups outnumbered and removed from the rest of the family and easier pickings for the wolves.

"Could it work? Yes. It's dangerous though, if the timing is even a fraction off. If the wolves were to suspect and return to the perimeter before chasing down the scents. If the numbers are large enough that they split up it could be devastating for us. We'd end up essentially closing ourselves in, much like we wish to do to the pack." Jasper said, reaching up and using a very similar trait that many associated with Edward, as he pinched the bridge of his nose inhaling deeply. The mannerism very human and appearing even more strange to those within the family that spent so much time away from other humans, even the Denali's.

"We won't let ourselves be a second off then." Emmet said seriously, looking from Jasper to then Edward, he'd felt the rift between himself and his brothers. Felt almost an odd man out, he wasn't gifted, and he didn't possess the supernatural and devastating talent that his brothers had when it came to combat. He had his power, strength that while was a threat and respected amongst their kind was often pushed aside when dealing with those gifted. Aro had proven the true power in the immortal world when he'd fought the army the Romanian's had gathered to topple the Volturi. So many numbers and they had not been able to overcome those gifted within the Volturi.

Emmet knew however that the complications had not only come from a sense of feeling forced out. It also came from the rift between his mate and his brothers. Something he struggled with, something he knew he was failing at. The family was on the brink of destruction, choices were being made, ones he himself knew he could have never made and he had failed to help his mate's pain and contain her harsh tongue against others. His family meant everything to him though, he would just have to learn to handle it all better, learn to stop his mate even when his heart didn't want to make her feel closed in on. Emmet was coming to the realisation much as Edward had so long ago. It felt now as he'd stood on the edge of heading into a war that risked everyone he cared for, he'd allowed Rosalie's feelings and decisions become more important than his own. She'd said terrible things to Jasper and Edward; he loved Rosalie as all mated pairs loved each other, but as he'd given the words to Edward outside the hospital that fateful night. It was okay to be angry with the ones you loved, even when your heart told you to forgive them without thought.

"No, we won't Emmet." Edward said confidently, sharing a glance with his large brother, accepting of the thoughts and hidden meaning behind his own statement. Emmet was a protector; he'd been devastated by Carlisle's destruction and heartbroken at seeing what Esme's loss had done to his Rosie. He wanted his pound of flesh, and he'd do all he could to ensure that he helped defend his family now, even from his own mate whose temper had harmed other members before.

They exhausted each avenue of the plan that they had come to agree upon, Jasper had made every single note of danger that this could and would likely place before them. It had been an agreement across the board that the first initial attack would be set to take out any of those on perimeter check. Edward once within La Push would have a far greater knowledge of specific locations. His hearing range being able to use to its full potential once they were deep into the reservation forest, then as the rest of them dealt with those tracking the land, Xavier and Rochelle would split up and move deep into the small reservation of La Push.

Rochelle was to move ahead, hidden by her gift but leave her scent clearly along a specific route that would run along first beach and then lead into the forests surrounding. Xavier would make a more obvious and blatant path, the intention of having Xavier not only move past the location of the Black's home and then even deeper into the small area of houses that Edward knew to have Sam Uley's home.

They would be placing Xavier out in the open, around not only those who weren't shifted but the humans who were most important to the pack. It had been made completely clear however that neither Rochelle nor Xavier were to engage at any cost, they were to lure the pack away from the reservation into the surrounding forest. Once Rochelle and Xavier were being chased or at least their scents were in the air they were to loop in from different directions until they would cross at the single location Jasper had decided upon within the forest.

While they didn't know the land on the reservation as well as their own land, Jasper wanted a thickly condensed area, with a build up of thick trees and foliage. Vampires with their smaller frames could and would be able to use such tight and close proximities to most effectively harm the wolves. Such close quarters and lack of clear space would cause many problems not only for the wolves' bodies and sizes but the style in which they fought. The rules were clear to all, that none of them were allowed to drift far from their selected group, with the numbers and way the pack thought, finding yourself alone would be a death sentence.

Jasper wished for a strike and move rotational fighting, that would have them essentially cleaning up after each other. Leaving the wolf that you harmed ready for the killer blow by the member coming up behind you, it would both be disorientating for the wolves as well as unexpected. Jasper believed it would work, and Edward trusted Jasper's strategy completely. Much of the confidence in all the members, came from Jasper reminding them of Edward's success alone.

While he made it clear the advantages that Edward had held over his enemies, it was still a feat greatly achieved that Edward had bested three of these beasts single-handed. They were still vulnerable, still very mortal, and precise and lethal; targeted strikes would and could end them in one blow if delivered correctly. Also, the added reality that they all had one last ditch lethal attack were they left without any other option, the bite was a devastating attack all of them had at their disposal to use should they need it.

Edward found himself watching over those in his family and friends as they all spoke with their most adored family, he watched the tender scenes of mated pair's whispered words. Edward watched as daughters looked to a father figure readying themselves to avenge a fallen sister and daughter, he saw in his own siblings that need for vengeance against the parents taken from them. Then also he saw the need for justice in the eyes of his friends that needed to make right of the wrong done upon them all.

They were all strong in their belief that this was right. Many choices had brought them all to this point and Edward knew that he was ready to let go of his control. That the darkness that settled inside of his chest, which seemed to vibrate with an excess of energy, the monster he'd named it, was there and it had never been a closer friend to him as he found his own mind willing it to life. He was ready to end this, both parts of him, the man and the monster, both were ready to end this threat and move forward with his life, they had a mate that was protected away from this violence but he knew he had to overcome this threat to return to her.

"You're ready for this Edward?" Alice whispered at Edward's side, breaking his attention away from looking over the room, turning to his sister. His most favourite sibling of all, she'd always been held so dear to him throughout the years, her affection and care for him often a soothing balm to the heart aching loneliness.

Alice had always stood by him, always been supporting of him even when she'd been in disagreement he could now see she'd only ever had the best of his intentions at heart. All while holding a secret to herself, he couldn't begin to understand the level of restraint she'd have had to endure to keep it from him for so many years. But she'd somehow managed, knowing before he'd never accept it. Now it was his reality, she'd waited her entire existence to see it and he knew in her mind she was finally seeing the signs of her vision, even if she was heartbroken that it would never be a complete vision with those already taken from them.

"I'm ready Alice. I've been ready for a long time, I held off... I shouldn't have. I'll never let our family wait for a threat to harm us first again though. All the mistakes I've had to learn from will shape my choices for our family from this point forward. I'm not the only one who has struggled though, you spoke with Eleazar?" Edward questioned, knowing he'd only seen partly into that shared conversation the two had briefly begun before he'd left with Bella and Carmen to return Bella to her home. He knew even now, from the sound and tone of Alice's thoughts that the conversation hadn't gone favourably. She was still aggravated with the lack of help Eleazar had really been able to offer her.

"He doesn't offer much. Not that I expected him to, seems we Cullen's treat our gifts more of a curse then a gift as others do. My entire existence I've used my ability to guide me through life, now when my family most needs it, I find it out of my ability to see anything that can help us." Alice said, and her irritation wasn't only clear in her tone of voice but the expression of her face. Edward reached beside him to squeeze her shoulder as he saw the memory she showed him of her conversation with Eleazar. It seemed Eleazar had given her a piece of advice that Alice just didn't believe was helpful at all, but it seemed oddly perfect to Edward's own understanding as he listened to the words of Eleazar in Alice's mind.

" _Stop trying Alice, let it be..."_

"Perhaps he's more right then you understand Alice." Edward said softly, turning his body away from looking around the family living area to focus his complete attention on his pixie sized sister. Her gaze looking up at him unsure, he could see it then just how deeply this had rocked his usually confident joyful sister, a conversation she'd have likely known the result of before he'd finished deciding what to say. She had never been normal, much like him it had been something that had bonded the two and he felt he'd let Alice down by not reaching out to her sooner, it seemed now she was turning to him before this was all to come to head for need of reassurance. He would be there for her now as a good brother and leader, as she'd expected of him, a lifetime of her constant care if even at times somewhat stifling it had always been from love. Now he'd help her too, or he at least hoped he'd be able to reaffirm her own confidence.

"For so long now you've forced the visions you see. You've had complete control upon when and what you see, that wasn't how your visions came to pass though Alice. When you found Jasper in your gift you never looked for him, when you found our family it came to you without looking, when you saw what Bella would become to me you saw it without even trying. Even with your lesser control over seeing those outside of our species you saw so much of what Bella could mean to not only me but you also. Perhaps Eleazar's advice is exactly what you need Alice, all the visions you have seen of recent have come to you when your gift has decided to show you. Not from forcing, not from willing it to happen but from instinct.

Our most strongest and powerful ability in our beings Alice, our instincts that even we deny often do not fail us. You've seen around the pack, you've seen things even though so much is undecided, stop looking Alice because you aren't blind, your visions haven't left you and you aren't less of who you are without the constant assurance of the gift you posses. You are my sister, you are powerful and strong and you are a seer, stop searching and instead let yourself see." Edward smiled down into her eyes, his hand moving up from her shoulder to cup her cheek, as she looked at him, surprised almost. The growth in this man, he'd always had deep care within him, even a wisdom to much of his knowledge but Alice standing before him as he reassured her had never felt more confident in her ability then hearing the confidence that Edward held for her.

"So many of us have misunderstood our own gifts. Jasper and I have restrained ourselves while you have allowed it to become every part of you. The defining thing that makes you my sister and yet it isn't Alice, you are a force of nature, even without the visions you are gifted. You told me to stop controlling my restraint and I have and I've seen the beginnings of what I can do. Now I turn those words on you Alice, let go of the control you hold over your gift. Let it be what it has always been Alice.

Not your first sight but a second sight, an instinctual part of your nature that protects you. Let your gift protect you as it did that first day you awoke to this world completely and truly blind to what you were." Edward finished, as Jasper finally made his way towards Alice, feeling the heightened emotions that seemed to be oozing from his mate, he knew the conversation with Eleazar hadn't given her the satisfied conclusion she'd wanted and felt the need to speak with Edward.

Jasper had of course reassured her that Edward would be able to listen, speak over what concerned her and he could already feel and share from the emotions of his mate that he'd been right to believe in Edward. The relationship the two shared had once upon a time made Jasper very wary of the once unmated handsome youth with a deep insight into his loves mind; he'd not understood it then but learnt and trusted in Alice. Only recently as he found himself at Edward's side more so then any other just how easy it was to be pulled under the strange spell as it were that Edward gave off even if unintentional. Jasper knew that while Alice's vision had seen many who had fallen still part of this grand coven she'd once hoped for, Jasper knew that the leader at least was finally becoming who he'd meant to be. Jasper couldn't be more grateful for that as he saw the tension and self-doubt seem to ease from upon his mate's shoulders at his brother's words.

"It's time." Edward stated finally as he released Alice to move to Jaspers side. Finally making a final sweep of the room, taking in all the faces of those who stood behind him now. No clearer could it have been, the faces that were missing now as they all stood before him ready and willing to run into danger. He knew what he was asking of them, knew the consequences better than any of what could be lost if they failed as he knew the future he'd promised his mate could be ripped from him in this moment.

She was left behind, and yet she could have been at his side still, the strength even her name in his mind gave him was astounding, he did not fear the fight, he wasn't scared of the pack. He knew the danger they held but he also knew the vulnerabilities that they carried too, he'd waited, he'd forced his family and friends to wait and that had cost him. No more would they wait though, like sitting ducks to be picked off by children who didn't truly understand what mortality was. It was easy for immortals to become naive to death, never aging or growing sick, never taking harm, they stood still for too long, became to stagnant. Edward would be sure to never let that come to pass with his family, they were not beyond change, and they were not beyond adapting to the changes around them.

"Carlisle was always known for his words of wisdom when it came to these kinds of moments throughout our life. While I can't hope to give you the words to guide you through this fight, while I can't promise that all will be the same after. I can swear this to you. I will be by your side every moment, each struggle, each obstacle you have to overcome, I'll be there as each of us will. Some of you have come to defend my family out of friendship, I'd like to believe that that once friendship is now just as strong as the ties of family. These wolves are many, they are not to be underestimated, but they are not our end, they are arrogant, they are new to this world and they do not know of the power of a coven fighting for each other. I called upon you all to help defend my family, now I ask you stand by me to help defend our family.

Follow the strategy and plans that Jasper has crafted with all of our help, protect and work together. We are by no means helpless to these threats, so channel what you must, if it is the grief of what has been lost, the justice you believe needed, the love of your family or even the honour of what you believe in, channel it and fight. Fight without remorse, without restraint, give these beasts every part of you not only the vampire but the man or woman inside, I will be leaving nothing left, on this battle field. I vowed to end this and I shall, this pack shall never live to tell the tale of the enemy they created here." Edward looked between each of them, every one of his siblings even to Rosalie, who he knew still held much resentment towards him and yet she still stood ready to defend.

There in lay the reason he'd tolerated her soured mood, even in her anger, her blaming of him, she still stood by their family. Would still place herself in danger to help protect Emmet, who stood more maturely then Edward had ever seen before. The thrill and enjoyment of a fight still at the back of his mind, lingering in thoughts and tenor of his thoughts but there was seriousness there now, a maturity that showed he would not make a joke of this fight. Emmet had always been a capable fighter who had only been held back by the lack of need to take a fight further then playful, he'd always relied more so on his power then his skill. This Emmet was not of old; this Emmet would bring down upon those who wished to harm his loved ones an untold amount of decisive destruction. Years of ignoring both the teachings of Jasper and Edward's less aggressive and brutish fighting styles were still in his immortal memory; he was ready to channel that now.

Jasper stood with a collected calm that would have caused any seasoned fighter fear, the cold hardened edge to his entire demeanour spoke of all that this immortal could do. He'd spent a lifetime on the battlefield not only of mortal men but of immortals too, he'd felt shamed and guilt for much of the lives he'd taken. He'd barely survived through it but he'd learned, with each scar that littered his marred flesh he had learned another lesson that would help forge the legend that would linger still in the south of Jasper.

Then Alice, a ferocious foe in her own right even despite her pixie size, she'd never had need to truly unleash all that she was capable of. Her gift made her just as dangerous as Edward, in the past, many not even bothering to try to fight her for she already knew the outcome. Now with so much unknown to her, with her visions feeling like they had failed her, Edward still believed Alice would fight through this without question. Jasper had not left his mate without the means of protecting herself and Edward knew that laying dormant in his favourite sister was the anger and frustration at all that had happened just ready to burst free upon the pack. Edward knew his family were ready, knew that they were all as ready as could be expected now. Time for waiting was over.

The sky above Forks had darkened some, even with the thick constant cover of rain clouds; the grey darkness swirled over head as the rain poured down. It was unrelenting and yet Edward knew that perhaps this rain would be washing away the ashes of those he cared most for, it could also be washing away the blood that he would spill. Even now as he walked out from his home knowing that soon he would leave this place, he couldn't help but think of both Esme and Carlisle, his parents. Those who had tried to help guide him through his existence in this life even when he'd all but turned them away; it only fuelled that inner rage as the rain swept over him. Coating his usually untamed windswept hair to his forehead thickly.

Edward barely caught sight of Rochelle and Xavier, both removing the shoes on their feet. Peter and Charlotte both without the item of clothing already, something so simple and yet it held meaning, nomads, he'd once travelled like them and yet he'd often been teased by Xavier for his constant purchasing of such items. A way to somehow appear civilised and human even when he'd been at his least human, Edward felt himself kicking away the shoes from his feet then. Peeling the socks away from his bare feet and feeling the softening mud beneath his feet. If he was to truly accept himself as a vampire, if he was to leave all that he held inside of him, then even the smallest of hidden meanings, even that of a pair of shoes he'd remove. The Edward that was going into La Push was not the same man that burst through to protect his mate, there had still been humanity within that vengeful beast.

They moved then, Edward moving to the left of the gathered pods, both Jasper and Alice flanking either side of him as they pushed forward. Edward in constant connection to the hum of the minds that he held closest, Peter and Charlotte were both ahead with Rochelle and Xavier. Once Rochelle and Xavier crossed into wolf territory, Peter and Charlotte would move to join Emmet and Rosalie. From there they all had their own duties given to them by Jasper's planning; none had a more difficult task though then Xavier and Rochelle. The two had willingly decided to place themselves completely within La Push without anything more than each other, while Rochelle would be able to hide herself, Xavier would be left vulnerable.

Edward paid close attention to all the minds as best he could while continuing on his path, as he crossed through into pack territory, the scent of the wolves was sickeningly strong, almost unnaturally heightened. As if they'd for some reason tried to coat their very scents over the area. Edward could see quickly that he wasn't the only one to notice this strange abnormality. While the scents were older and fading, there was many of them and they had been all but forced over every inch of the surrounding tree line.

"Something isn't right. They smell but this..." Jasper spoke as the three of them slowed their pace slightly, Edward looking around urgently, knowing they couldn't stop. The group of Charlotte, Peter, Xavier and Rochelle were readying to split from one another. If they allowed themselves to be drawn away from the plan, even by a few seconds it could risk everyone.

"They've tried to cover a scent." Edward's nostrils flared, not known amongst his family for being the best natural tracker of scents, he'd made a fool of himself trying to hunt Victoria in such a way when he'd separated from Bella, when he'd chased Victoria clear to South America. Edward inhaled deeper, his eyes turning around looking from the tree lines, the pace they moved now was almost human, and Edward could see that he wasn't the only one to have noticed something. Emmet and Rosalie had picked up on the slight foreignness, but as Rosalie inhaled clutching at Emmet's hand abruptly stopping him he saw in his sister's mind what he'd lacked to see.

" _Gasoline..."_

It happened almost at too fast a pace for even Edward's vampire mind to register completely, it had almost been too late for them all, as he'd realised that something horrific had been laying in wait for them. As Edward had turned to warn both Alice and Jasper of what he'd seen in Rosalie's mind he'd seen the shocked wide eyed gaze of Alice. He'd seen as a vision had hit Alice harshly with a devastating power that had almost knocked the small pint sized Alice from her feet.

As her vision faded from the world around her in that moment and suddenly it was as if the world was raining fire in her vision. Alice could see the horror of unrecognizable charred remains lay on the forest floor in front of her feet, as she looked down in her visions to witness the half burned face of her own mate who still cried out in unimaginable pain as he slowly burned away to nothing but ash before her eyes. Edward shared in every horrific image, as the explosion ripped around them in her mind, spewing an inferno around what had once been immortal flesh scorching and incinerating their family.

He watched then as Bella stood on the edge of a cliff, he watched in Alice's vision as his mate stood on the cliff face, tears trickling down her beautiful face. Edward could do nothing as for a second time in his existence he saw a vision of his mate leaping from the edge of a cliff, this time the vision didn't fade. This time Bella didn't hit the water as her soft, vulnerable human body found rock beneath her fragile body, Edward could barely register the devastating sight of his mate's still rising chest as she tried to kill herself for his failing her. Edward endured each agonising second as slowly the rise and fall of his mate's broken body became slower until it stopped completely. Edward watched his mate's death.

"Dear God, no!" Alice cried out, shaken to her very core, her visions that had evaded her had hit her strongly and deeply within her heart as she'd witnessed their destruction. She'd only had time to cast her gaze to Edward's own tormented face as the sky had ripped open with an almighty roar. The explosion more deafening then even their enhanced hearing could handle as they already began to feel the heat of the inferno that they'd shared in with her visions.


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N Hey everyone, okay first of all I'd just like to wish you guys all a merry Christmas or happy holidays, and I'd like to think of this chapter to all of you as a early present. It's taken a hell of a lot of work going into this chapter from myself and _RDoster2012_. Originally I considered breaking up this chapter but thought that instead I'd just give you the full thing in one huge update, but I warn you all. The M rating is at its complete use here, proceed with caution and I hope it was worth the wait, it's here guys the battle you've all been crying out for.**

 **I likely won't be able to update now until after Christmas but I shouldn't leave you guys waiting too long until I'm back, so enjoy chapter 27 in all its bloody glory and heartbreak. It's going to be a real treat to see what you all think ;)**

 **As Always massive thank you to my Beta, _RDoster2012_.**

 **BETA READER: _RDoster2012_**

 **Enjoy :)**

 **RED DAWN**

 **SUMMARY:** Edward had always warned Bella that the pack was dangerous. They are hostile, volatile, and aggressive by nature. She ignored him, testing even Edward's vampire instinct, by staying friends with his enemy, Jacob. One event will change them all. Bella never truly understood the supernatural world; she didn't understand the aggression that lay dormant even in her controlled mate until it was too late. WARNING: Violence and Character Death.

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the Characters.**

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty-Seven**

Edward had barely seen the moment that Charlotte felt the strange contraption beneath her foot, she'd still been running at her full capable speed but had known the exact moment that she'd set off a trap.

She had barely seen the spark of the ignition before she'd flung herself towards Peter; he'd saved her life countless times over the centuries they had shared together. He had even helped to save her when her time had been up when they'd both been nothing more than soldiers in Maria's army. She loved him; she adored the man to her last breath. She refused to let her own actions be the thing that placed him in harm's way, so when she'd seen the spark of the explosion begin in the very corner of her eye she'd leapt powerfully back.

Driving her shoulder into Peter's gut, as he'd been mid stride, she sent him barrelling backwards. Unsteady on his feet and unable to find any purchase in the slick waterlogged ground, he'd hit the ground and slipped without any control a distance away from her. Before Peter had even been able to look up and ask what the hell his mate was doing, he'd seen that look, the pitiful pained look that said so much. It said she loved him, that she was sorry, and it said she'd see him again soon as the bright white hot flames seemed to leap up from the very ground she stood on.

Peter could do nothing but watch with sickening horror as his mate's once beautiful face was surrounded by the flames, that were rising up so powerfully and fast, and then as it became too bright for him to do anything but look away as the impact of the explosion hit him, just as hard as his mate had to save his life. There was nothing peaceful about the death of Charlotte, there was nothing that gave her any peace or that saved her mate from her agony, as amongst the explosion that sounded with the violent chain reaction was her screams were heard. Peter found himself kneeling a distance away from her body as the flames licked over every inch of her.

His enhanced sight gave him every single minute detail of his mate's end. The way the flames clung to her skin like molten lava, trailing bright red cracks along her once smooth skin, the way the mist of purple smoke wrapped around her body, as she burned alive. Peter watched as her pale skin slowly charred, turning black. He watched as welts of black-tarred blisters formed over her skin until they bubbled over and burst. The open venom only igniting the flames around her even more, Peter could do nothing but look at his once beautiful mate, as she slowly became nothing more but a mess of molten pieces. Even when her face no longer resembled anything that he knew, even as her mouth seemed to fall away from her jaw, the wails continued, they screamed in every pore of his body as she cried out while Peter's hands gorged themselves into the ground beneath him. His mind telling him to lunge into the flames to save her and yet the ever present instinct keeping him locked in place, he knew he couldn't save her. To even attempt it would cost him his own life.

The blaze intensified around him still, and yet he remained positioned where he'd landed, hunched over like a wounded animal sobbing between snarls and tears that would never flow. The scent of his mate becoming distorted and foreign to him amongst the burning of her body, finally her screams had grown silent and he knew already what that meant.

This was not the first time Peter had witnessed one of his own kind die by fire. It was seen by many, even the most yearning of death to be the cruellest and painful ways to die. The moment that Charlotte fell silent amongst the flames, Peter lunged towards her still charring remains, distorted in shape now but the inferno still scorching what remained. She'd be nothing but ashes soon enough. As his body moved upright in a swift movement, he was airborne before his mind completely registered what he was doing. There was only one sight in the back of his mind; that of his mate's face the first evening they'd escaped Maria's army.

He swore to her a life of peace, he had tried to give her a lifetime of happiness and safety since their violent beginnings; and now he had suffered, watching her end more violently then even Maria would have ordered. Peter knew who had set the trap for his mate, knew the enemy that lay behind the flames. He knew the pack had created this for them all, and he would end them all. He would bathe in the blood of every man, woman and child before this night was over. He would drown the lands of their tribe in blood; there could never be enough blood to quench his need now. So Peter lunged, not caring for the flames that acted like a wall of protection between himself and those he wished to kill most, he had nothing to fear and nothing to live for after this one last battle, the solider had been awoken again and he was ready to kill.

He would kill them all, only then...only then could he allow himself to die.

Xavier had caught Peter off guard when he leapt towards the flames, seeing it very much as what he believed was an attempt to destroy himself. Xavier had reacted as his mind had told him to. Even while knowing he'd never truly be able to save Peter from the demise that he would eventually seek, he couldn't help the need to try.

He crashed into Peter roughly whilst still airborne; the clash sounding like a clap of thunder around the sound of burning forest. Xavier did his best to wrap his arms and legs around Peter, essentially tying the other immortal up with his limbs. Peter was stronger, but had been caught off guard enough and seemed almost too wild and feral to fight back with any skill. Xavier knew that his training, the small amount he had with Jasper, had already improved him, he could only begin to imagine the skill of Peter, who had spent his new born years under Jasper's teaching.

Xavier knew that he only had so much time before he would no longer be able to hold Peter down; the plan that they had formed was completely obliterated, it had been completely destroyed in a planned strike that lay in wait for them. Now they were on enemy territory, already losing members of their group and he couldn't even begin to try and think about the others, he had to hope that the rest of them were okay.

He and Rochelle had been able to shield themselves from the initial blow, they'd seen the strange way Charlotte had tackled Peter and Xavier had known to react. He had grabbed his own mate, and moved in the opposite direction, barely avoiding the blaze as it had ripped both ways, erecting around the forest before them like a wall that would prevent them from getting through. Though after the first explosion and its movement he'd seen that there were gaps, but the flames were doing their best now to grow and spread in size.

Xavier had to admit; these wolves were smart. Not in all his years of life would he have ever thought to set a trap of such, he knew it came from an archaic mind set that was created because of what he was. The world shifted and changed, weapons became stronger with each passing decade, and yet vampires still fought as they had done from the beginning.

Xavier and Peter hit the ground roughly as their bodies tangled, Rochelle was moving closer to try and help her own mate as Peter seemed to only grow more feral the more they tried to stop him. His eyes black in colour, the look upon his face a twisted mess of rage and madness. She feared for her mate, she'd seen just how capable Peter had been during the training.

Xavier released one of his hands as he gritted down on his teeth tightly, his face hardened as he was determined to at least save Peter now, to stop him from whatever his grief demanded of him now. They needed to find the others, regroup and figure out what they would do now.

If Xavier could hold on just long enough, perhaps until either Emmet arrived, who would physically be able to pin Peter, or even Jasper and Edward. Xavier knowing either talent would and could prevent Peter from doing whatever he wished, and while he didn't wish to send Rochelle away, he also wanted her away from these open growing flames.

The trees even slick in the rain didn't seem to hinder in the spreading of the fire, there was a type of accelerant of that Xavier was sure, some kind of bomb had been placed within the tree's very roots, and Xavier couldn't be sure there wasn't another trap within the ground around them. While the one explosion had seemed to send off a chain reaction of explosions in either direction, he couldn't bear the thought of having to witness what Peter had of his own mate. Now wasn't the time to just leave her standing around though, he needed to keep Peter pinned and he needed to find the others. He knew the general direction of where the other's had gone, Emmet and Rosalie would be closest, then the three Denali members.

"Stay back Rochelle" Xavier called to his mate's while struggling against Peter's thrashing body, though she still continued to closed the distance between them.

"Let me help you" Rochelle said, she wanted to run and yet she knew that wasn't her, even with a life spent hiding and then finally being brought away from her isolation from her mate. She knew she could never leave, not even in this catastrophic situation.

"No, Rochelle I have him. You need to find the rest of them, we need to know how many..." Xavier struggled under Peter's snarled resistance, he didn't finish his thought; that more could be destroyed, and that they did not have any warning. The explosion had started here, he couldn't know if they'd been ahead of the flames or had been directly in their path, they wouldn't have had the same warning that Charlotte had to stop Peter. The same warning he'd had to get himself and his own mate away from what had been ignited.

"But Xavier..." Rochelle said, her eyes fearful, he'd seen that fear once before, when he'd first found her secluded to a little cabin in the mountains where she'd hid herself for most of her existence.

Once upon a time she'd been so scared of everything, she'd used her ability to help her hunt and then she would flee back into her isolation. When she'd first met him she had only known to fear him, all while he'd seen in her exactly what he'd been unknowingly searching for. He hated that decades together and working on her fear brought her full circle facing untold danger, she had to be strong though now. Their friends needed them to be strong.

"Please Rochelle. I can't hold him for long; we need them. Not only for Peter but also for ourselves, we're in danger Rochelle. The wolves will be coming, we don't have enough time." Xavier said, knowing all too well that this would have alerted the wolves, it would have most likely alerted anyone for miles. The growing flames only making a larger scene for them to have to find a way to cover up, not only would the pack be coming to this scene now, but humans too, to try and prevent the flames from spreading. Time was now, they needed to defend themselves, needed to destroy this threat finally, and do it all before the humans would find themselves knowing too much. Xavier saw the moment in Rochelle's eyes when her resolve strengthened but even then she hesitated as she moved to turn in the direction of the other's.

"I'll come back, be safe Xavier. Please be safe." Rochelle said, her eyes looking over her determined mate, his muscles tense over his entire body and she could see Peter's fingers gouging into his arms trying to free himself. She knew he was right, she ran from them both then, still the forest around her seemed to be raining fire down around her, it seemed endless now.

 **-RD-**

"Jesus Christ!"

Emmet cried out, his eyes wide at the sight before him, Rosalie had pulled him to a stop when she'd taken in the peculiar scent. So used to working with cars, taking apart the family engines and tinkering with them had for a long time been a private type of meditation for her. Many of the family had hobbies, but hers had always been working on the cars. The smell of gasoline wasn't something she would easily miss, even with the added stench of multiple mutts mixed in over the top.

The rain had done its job in that respect though, washing out some of the wolf stench to reveal the thicker, bitter smell of gasoline. Rose hadn't needed much to pull her own mate back once she'd started to understand what may be waiting for them. Now though, watching her own fearful mate as he stood before the blaze that seemed to stretch even further then their enhanced vision allowed them to see in both directions, she could only think of getting herself and Emmet far from this.

The plan had fallen apart before it had even started, the wolves would surely know they were coming if any of them had survived the initial blast, fire was a deadly beast all into itself when it came to immortals. There were reasons why many of their kind would avoid any type of open flames at all cost, most nomads never even having need to be around a fire unless disposing of another vampire. The only important thing now to Rose, was to get as far away not only from the inferno that would draw all eyes towards them but the potential threat of the wolves, she and Emmet wouldn't be able to fight them. Not alone and she wasn't even sure, that even if they had everyone still capable of fighting to beat them, she'd been lacking any faith in Edward and Jasper's planning since they'd tried to hijack Esme's mind.

"Emmet we need to go!" Rose said, pulling on his arm as he looked fearfully at the burning flames that separated them from possibly the rest of the family.

"We need to leave Emmet! They'll know we're coming, we can't beat them without the advantage of surprise, especially if the others are gone." Rose said more urgently, tugging on his arm.

"We need to find them Rose!" Emmet turned to his own mate surprised that she wanted to run, surprised that she'd simply accept that they were already gone and not wish to at least find proof. He understood the threat, he'd seen Carlisle's remains, known that they'd killed Irina, and even the actions that lead to Esme, underestimating the wolves had cost them dearly. He could never imagine running from them though, not even now when things looked so terribly stacked against them.

"Emmet we can't, we don't have enough time. The entire tribe will know that we're on their land, they have open flames all around to throw our remains into once they tear us limb from limb. We need to run, or we won't survive Emmet!" Rose said, angrily shoving his arm, but then reaching towards him and pulling his arm back towards her body, fear all too clear in her face but Emmet found himself looking at his mate confused. Unable to understand where his true mate had gone, she'd been so supportive of not only Edward but the entire fight in the beginning, then with the deaths she'd slowly became less supportive with each loss her resentment had only grown.

Of course, the deaths had been taken hard by all, but her reaction to not only Edward but many of the family because of Esme's death had even bordered on cruel. The things she'd said to Edward, then even to Jasper and he'd remained silent and Emmet found himself tethering on the end of his patience. Images of wolves ripping into his siblings and friends, terrible thoughts of burning flesh and a heartbroken human sister left alone when her world was taken from her with no chance of defending her own mate. He couldn't understand how his own mate could desire to leave them without aid, that she'd abandon them all when they needed her.

"Enough Rosalie!" Emmet shouted, silencing his mate, her entire body stiffening at his raised voice, and her hand stopping abruptly on his very skin as she looked at him.

"Our family. All that we have left in this world is out there, they could be hurt, they could need us and I won't... I won't let you turn your back on them. I won't allow you to convince me to turn away from them. When you saved me, I left behind a human family that I loved. Sisters and a mother who needed me, and yet I accepted the loss without question; because I knew the woman before me would mean everything to me, and that she was hurt. I knew that you needed me more than my mother and sisters did. I chose you, even when I didn't know what I was, I know what I am now Rosie, and I know that you aren't broken like you believed you were. I love you in spite of your flaws as you do mine, but this one… this selfishness you've shown recently. It ends now; if you wish to walk away, know that you do it alone, because I will not abandon my family this time. So make your choice Rosalie. Is it our family or is it yourself? I can't make this choice for you." Emmet said, as he looked deeply into his mate's wide eyes, firm and unyielding.

Emmet had once told Edward it was okay to be angry with the woman you loved. He'd told him just because you loved them, didn't mean you had to become a push over for them, that being angry wasn't wrong. He'd been ready to give out the advice and yet he'd not followed his own words, now he would though. He loved Rosalie, he had since the moment he'd opened his new eyes to this world, and had adored her and tried to show her that this life they had wasn't a curse like she viewed it. He wouldn't leave his family now when they would most need him. Not even for his mate, because Emmet knew that without them any progress he had made with Rosalie may be lost forever in this moment had he given her what she wanted.

So with one final glance, Emmet leant down pressing his lips to his mate's forehead, before releasing her from his grip and then turning from her and walking towards the flames before him. The choice he'd left had been for her to decide upon, part of him even knew that he wanted her to run simply so she'd be safe but he had to believe she truly loved him and cared for her family.

He'd seen moments of her true affection for members many times, she held tightly onto her affection for them though as a means not to be too close. He knew losing Esme had broken his mates heart, but in only releasing her own pain she'd tried to hurt the other's around her to make her own lessen. That couldn't be allowed to happen any longer, he'd been guilty of not saying anything in the past where it really was his place. She was his mate; he should have always been the one to step in when he knew she took something too far.

Emmet moved away, hearing the sound of someone approaching, a vampire in his direction he could only hope that it was good news that his family were okay and regrouping. He could only hope they would all be okay and that Rose would find her rightful place with them all, for now he was ready to take direction. This fight wasn't over; it hasn't even begun.

 **-RD-**

Edward knew it was coming, only if given the briefest of warnings from seeing into the vision Alice had been allowed around her blackness; it still wouldn't be enough. As the echoing blast ripped through the forest of La Push, he knew that now was one of those all too rare moments where his mortality was truly questioned. He'd seen his death in Alice's vision, seen the death of his entire family, and then endured the horrific attempt on her own life from his mate because he'd not been prepared for such an assault.

His body felt every nerve ending still fatigued by the constant forced enduring of Kate's touch, he'd suffered through it and yet he knew his mind and body would have been better fed before facing his enemy. That would have been more time then he had though, he'd made his choices and now he was in the thick of a battle he was not prepared for.

A strategy that he was sure not only he, but Jasper too would be enraged over not seeing; their way of thinking was old and ancient, much like their species. They may have considered themselves more adapt to the modern world, but modern warfare, even Jasper had last seen a battlefield some seventy years ago. The wolves had again caught them by surprise, used methods that Edward wouldn't have thought of, simply because he was used to a fighting style that did not involve not traps nor weapons, just simple fighting with hand to hand combat. He'd need to survive this fight to ensure that Sam didn't see the end of this time. Edward knew more than ever he would need to kill Sam for the growing threat he became with more time in charge of the pack.

"Get down!" Edward roared out towards a still dazed Alice and Jasper, who looked completely confused. Jasper knew the signs of his mate enduring a vision, and he knew that Edward was likely sharing that vision alongside his mate. The two had used their joined gifts throughout the shared time in the family to communicate, and Jasper had watched countless times as Edward had shared in the visions Alice saw, often being the first to vocalise any warnings when they'd been needed.

Edward could see how impressive the inferno was as it travelled towards them with blinding speed. The fire was obliterating smaller plants in its path of destruction. Some of the thicker trees were being blown to pieces under what Edward assumed were triggered explosives, that he could only assume were buried deeply into the roots of the trees as the ground beneath his feet trembled and groaned.

Shrapnel of burning splintered wood showering everywhere, much like Alice's vision, as it appeared that fire was truly raining down upon them. Edward felt his entire body hunch down, his feet digging into the soft mud beneath him and then his powerful legs pushed forward into a sprint. He didn't direct himself forward more towards La Push, or even backwards towards home, fearing either side would leave him in the path of the burning blaze, instead he tried to outrun the chasing fire.

He could feel the heat lick at him, felt the brunt of the power behind him as he whistled through the forest at a speed even he wasn't sure he'd forced himself to before. Right now all he could think of was his Bella, sitting in her home completely unaware that their lives were in the balance if was he not fast enough. Edward couldn't even allow himself to hesitate to turn and see if either Jasper or Alice had made it away from the explosion that was on a crash course for them. When he finally saw the sight of a road before his eyes, Edward pushed up, leaping a short distance using the tree within his sight to step up onto and push his entire body skyward, sending him clear across the space of road between the two forests and then finally he was able to turn and see.

He'd narrowly avoided the flames, the pack had been thorough to trail so much gasoline and explosives such a way and do so without being caught. Edward knew however, that they more than likely had the numbers now that would allow such a deeply set trap to be put in place, this would not be easily explained away though now. Edward couldn't imagine any lie or story that could be put into action that could cover what Sam and his pack had done to try and defend the lands or even simply destroy Edward and his own without even needing a fight.

Edward could see as the cloud of smoke and fire billowed out from the tree line bursting over the slick street, rain still pouring down overhead but it did little to slow the fire that raged now. He couldn't see either Alice or Jasper but winced under the mental sounds of agony, not of his brother and sisters, but Charlotte; seeing the torment in Peter as he watched his mate sacrifice herself. So much was already happening, and he was trying to reformulate a plan, because now the element of surprise was gone, then he heard Jasper's cries. Time for thinking was pushed aside as Edward leapt down from the trees that he stood in watching the burning scene before him, and then he rushed back towards his family. Edward ran right into the fire as he could see his brother burning.

 **-RD-**

Jasper had heard Edward's warning but hadn't had the speed, he couldn't possibly hope to outrun the flames that were chasing them, and when he'd seen his Alice still very much dazed and confused he'd done the one thing he could. The fire was too close, and the explosion that had been set off near to them both in the chain reaction of bombs. Alice was far too close for her to avoid the brunt of the explosions force, even with her knowing it was coming, so he'd lunged forward to throw his body over her smaller one. Jasper had felt the heat, and then the agonizing burn of the flames as it had almost felt like it had sprayed over his back and shoulders igniting him instantly.

Alice screamed beneath him as he forced her down into the wet ground using his own body to shield her from the fire, Jasper knew that he could do nothing but hold her in place. The last of his energy spent on pinning his little mate in place as a means to protect her from the fire that would surely end him. He'd been a fool not to think of such a plan to be put against them, and now he would accept defeat. But he wouldn't allow his mate to suffer such an end, not because of his lack of foresight. He could only hope that Edward managed to outrun the chasing fire and would return to help Alice to safety. He could only hold for so long as the forest around them seemed to be collapsing in on them, an inferno of blazing walls closing in on them with no hope of escape.

Not even his strength, nor his stubbornness to save Alice from physical and emotional pain could stop him from his cries being heard all around, as he could feel the scorching burn of his flesh under the attack of the liquid accelerant and flames. He could only hold onto the mantra in his mind to hold on long enough to completely block all the flames from Alice.

The scene that found Edward when he returned to his siblings was heartbreakingly terrifying, not only to him as any being, but understanding the true acceptance of Jasper's choice through his mind. Edward, knowing that even if he himself was placed here and Bella at his side, that there would have been no change. The flames surrounded them completely, large tree bases had been knocked down and blown savagely from the soil that had once held them for even longer then Edward had been on this earth. The trees around Jasper and Alice were like a burning prison, blocking Edward at all angles from trying to move into the small space, where Jasper was using his very own body as a shield to protect Alice against the flames.

Alice's screams were loud, pleading for Jasper to stop, wishing for him to not give his own life; she'd already witnessed his burned remains once in the vision, and was almost feral in her fear of it becoming a reality before her very eyes once again. Only this time there would be no fading of a vision to escape that horror.

Edward could see through the growing fire and between the gaps of the fallen trees, he could see the sight of Jasper's back, the way the flames clung to him, the sight of his shirt all but falling away, his pants fraying under each snapping thread from the burning, his skin charring already, black blisters that promised only further pain and death for his brother. Only as Alice turned her eyes to Edward, seeing him through the flames, seeing him only made her struggle more as she tried to reach out towards his shadowed silhouette amongst the flames and smoke, the purple smoke mixing in with everything before her vision, the smoke seeming to leak away from Jasper's body as if his very soul was leaving him now. Jasper didn't have enough time for Edward to try and make a plan to save them both, not one that would be without risk, Edward knew that he would have to suffer for them, there was no time to think, there was no time to wait and his family needed him.

Edward reached forward, forcing his hands into the thick tree before him, the flames that were creeping up the tree were so large in size that the flames caught upon his skin, instantly heating him, as his eyes blazed black against the pain. Edward forced his hands deeper into the bark as the flames caught upon his sleeves, and trailed up his arms, the trees were like a house of cards. He was about to pull the tree out by its roots, he had to be fast enough, and god above him would need to watch over him now. Carlisle and Esme would need to watch over him now, as he could possibly bring about the end of himself and his brother and sister.

Edward roared against the pain of his burning arms and heaved powerfully, back lifting the large piece of tree above his head. Fire raining down over him as he shoved the tree upwards and releasing it, he knew he had barely seconds to get to them. Edward sprinted into the small space, all but having to tackle Jasper's burning and bubbling back as he held Alice captive beneath his body, so intent was he of enduring his pain and saving Alice from the fire he'd not even noticed the change around him. Not noticed the scent of his own brother over the distorted and sickly scent of his own burning skin, Jasper ignored even the cries of Alice pleading for Edward to help them both. Edward collided into Jasper roughly and didn't stop as he felt the tremble in the ground around them, all of the trees collapsing under the brittle parts of the stumps and the large base Edward had removed.

Fortunately the collision of Edward and Jasper meeting, all but ended the burning flames from still crawling along Jasper's back but also burst the blisters as venom seeped over the front of Edward's shirt and Jasper's injured back. Edward knew he still couldn't stop though, even as he caused harm to both Alice and Jasper under his attempts to save them both. He drove them both, still entwined together, pinned under Jasper's arms through the other side, breaking through burning branches until he felt the cooler temperature as they broke free from the burning prison.

Alice sobbed hysterically as Edward all but flung her and Jasper apart, forcing Jasper onto his stomach and pulling away any remains of the shirt that had once been on his back. Twisted charred flesh still warm to the touch, almost painfully so to Edward's own battered and charred hands from holding the burning tree in his grasp. Edward cupped the wet cold mud beneath them smearing it over Jasper's open blisters that seeped venom at a quick rate. Trying to both cool Jasper's flesh from the heat and cover the open venom as to prevent it from catching ablaze from any burning debris or open flames around them, Jasper struggled and hissed beneath Edward, wild and scared in his pain being parted from Alice.

"It's okay Jasper, don't fight please. I'm okay. Let Edward help you. God, thank you Edward. Thank you..." Alice cried as she crawled to Jasper, caressing his tense and pained face, Edward stopping Alice's hand from moving to run her fingers through his hair. The flames had caught some of his hair and it was weak and brittle, any rough touching would remove it and Jasper would lose more than what he'd already lost from the fire. The only way to strengthen his weakened body now was time and feeding, both things they didn't have. Alice could see the state of Edward's hands though as he stopped her own advancements to touch Jasper and gasped at the sight of them.

"They're fine Alice" Edward said, refusing to allow his mind to look down at the almost skeletal looking fingers; long and black, with red cracks along his palms and knuckles. They were grotesque but he'd had no time to think about the best way to get to them both, and so he'd placed his hands willingly into the flames, his arms were slightly burned and they would leave scars he was sure, but Jasper was the one in more need of help. Edward's scars would be faint, if not barely noticeable even to the vampire's keen eyesight. Jasper would not be so fortunate, a man already so viciously scarred from his time in the south would now hold the scars of being burned alive, he'd heal with time but his skin would never be smooth again.

"How bad is it brother?" Jasper whispered, his voice hoarse and gravelly he sounded like a man dying of thirst and Edward knew that he likely was; he'd need blood. They'd have to be sure to keep Jasper far from humans until he could truly satiate his thirst on animal blood, there would be no stopping him now if he crossed a human's path.

"It's fine. I got to you in time..." Edward stopped as Jasper shook his head.

"Not my wounds. Our family Edward, did they make it? Did any of them survive?" Edward struggled around knowing that this would hurt Jasper, knowing he would accept the blame and fault for this. Edward removed himself from Jasper, and then moved around the front of him, to help him back to his feet. Alice, a constant support to Jasper as she clung to him, they needed to move, the fire was still growing and Edward knew from the echo of minds that they were needed elsewhere. That there were things more serious and deadly waiting now then even the fires around them.

"Charlotte... she didn't know, triggered a trap that the pack must have set. She knew enough to push Peter back but couldn't save herself. Xavier has him pinned with Emmet for now but he's wild, feral, he wants to kill the pack. They're doing their best, but I fear you're our only way of trying to reach him. Though we both know that won't be of much use. The Denali's are on the other side of the blaze, they're okay but worried.

Eleazar is trying to find a way back to us but this has been planned well, if anyone's getting through it's us. Are you strong enough to continue Jasper, do we still continue on?" Edward asked, placing his hand on Jasper's shoulder, Jasper's eyes as black as Edward's his eyes moving to see the burned charred image of his piano playing brother and realising he'd done that to save him and Alice. He'd lost a friend, and Jasper knew he would lose another. Peter wouldn't wish to live on, but they could give Peter blood, and Jasper wanted it too. He'd been ready to accept death; he'd never once felt ready to accept defeat ever before in this life and the pack had done that to him.

"We need to regroup. Those dogs are fucking dead!" Jasper snarled darkly, turning to his mate, gauging her reaction but finding her steady and ready to fight. She had been scared, believed that they were going to be all killed by the flames and now they would have to change the future she had seen, she'd already seen them defeated but that hadn't come.

"We need to move quickly." Edward said, his eyes turned away from Jasper and Alice, looking towards the fire with a distant look of concern and anger on his face, turning back to Jasper urgently.

"The wolves are approaching. The Denali's are alone; they won't last long without us. We need to move now!" Edward said, his body twisting as he looked around him quickly, and then began to run, Jasper and Alice following tightly behind him as Edward weaved amongst the flames and the forest, closing in on the rest of his family.

 **-RD-**

"It's no use Eleazar, we aren't finding a way through." Tanya hissed as she moved in closer to the flames, and almost as if the inferno was alive, it seemed to awaken stronger at her proximity to the burning mass.

"We need to find the others. They might have been caught in the blaze, god forbid anyone was directly in the path of the blaze, it moved faster than any fire I've seen in my existence." Eleazar said, deeply worried for his allies now, the deep concern that they had even with the planning and training still rushed into this a little unprepared. He didn't like the idea of being out manoeuvred by these creatures a second time either. He knew all too well not only were his allies potentially hurt, or worse, he was once again possibly faced with the coming wolves and having no numbers to help defend against the numbers of the pack.

"It must have been a weapon of some type we heard the multiple explosions, perhaps a type of bomb. We've been gone far too long from the human world, if they have such weapons even these basic tribe men, what could that of the government posses within their arsenal should they learn of us?" Kate said angrily, they were no better than the archaic and foolish immortals that claimed to rule over them, still confident in all of their strengths, and willing to be ignorant to their own weaknesses. These children had brought a weapon to a fight they'd only been expecting to use their abilities and powers for, not even Jasper had thought to think of such a trap being put in place. Once again they'd all underestimated their enemy.

"Do you hear that?" Tanya said, her attention being drawn away from the fire and instead in the opposite direction, towards the echoing sound of howls, multiple howls closing in and overlapping each other. The pack were coming and they were only three, no true hope of turning back and fleeing now, and not knowing of the fate of their friends.

"We'll be slaughtered." Kate said, turning to stand close to Tanya, her remaining sister in this world, they'd spent centuries together; had lived longer then so many of their own kind.

"Then so be it. We shall not run from them. Pray that our family comes to aid us; we aren't defeated yet my daughters. This will not be a repeat of our last meeting." Eleazar said confidently, stepping past both Tanya and Kate readying to face the beasts head on that had taken friends and family from him. Both Tanya and Kate moving to flank either side of Eleazar. While younger in years, both of them were still wise, and considered an ancient by many standards. He'd led them since his and Carmen's joining them, both were ready to fight.

They had waited angrily, ever since the harsh defeat they had all taken at their arrival to defend their friends, and they had watched their sister die. Had endured Carlisle's refusal in accepting what was, and then mourned his death when his trust in the pack had turned upon him. Then watched the heart breaking reality of Esme deciding to have her life ended by her own son, none of them believed Edward defeated. Not one of the Denali's believed that Edward wasn't alive behind that fire and preparing to bring the rest of their family to help them fight this enemy. They just had to fight long enough.

Eleazar stood ready before the tree line as he watched and listened to the sound of heavy galloping, it echoed around the forest along with the sound of the crackling fire. He'd never faced such odds, not even upon missions he'd been expected to carry out while a guard within the Volturi; this enemy was a stranger to him. He knew of their beliefs, knew of the crimes they had committed against those he cared for, and where he'd once left behind the life of helping judge and rule over his own kind he felt no mercy in judging these men.

Blood had been spilt on both sides, and yet Eleazar couldn't find the concern and pity he'd felt in those early days, couldn't find the concern he'd had when he'd seen that dark change in Edward. Now he found that with each obstacle he'd watched the young leader endure and over come, each trial he'd faced even against all odds had somewhat changed his own view. The wolves did not deserve his pity, nor his sympathy for what was to come, they would offer him none, they viewed him and his kind as a parasite, and yet he saw before him nothing but monsters. True monsters, because they knew the beliefs they followed were failed by even their own kind, while he and the others around him were able to fight against that which they thirsted for endlessly. So Eleazar stood strong and ready as he watched them break through the tree line.

Too many for all three of the Denali's to even count at first as they broke forward in pods of four, they broke through the tree line in perfect sync. Not one of them out of place, they'd practiced this, the movement seemed too robotic, but even to all the Denali's eyes they could see that something was not completely right.

A formation was set, but there were many holes where they could see the flaws in the formation. Even with the holes in their formation it was clear that the four pods stood strongly, none of them appearing to even be fearful of the three remaining vampires. Had any of the Denali's known the wolves from sight, or even scent, as some of the Cullen's did, they would have known some were missing, that many were missing.

The Denali's only saw twenty wolves before them, and they knew already the odds were against them, much like they had been before. These wolves were larger than the ones they had faced before, it was not the Denali's though that hesitated or flinched when the wolves and they faced each other. The wolves' hesitated, clear disbelief that any of the vampires had made it through the traps.

Eleazar hadn't waited for them to reorganise, whatever fault had happened in the wolves' plans was something they would need to take advantage of. It would give them just the smallest of chances of living through this unbelievable scenario; he had a mate protecting a human far from here that he was determined to return to. A new coven leader he did not plan on failing by falling in this fight. Eleazar crouched down in a hiss, the wolves matching the stance almost as both sides sprung forward, closing the distance so impressively fast.

Both sides coiled and sprung forward, the distance between them vanishing in moments, the wide-open space giving the wolves that much more room to close in. They had bragged often of their speed and how they were created to hunt vampires, and while fast, they'd been shown up in the past against those such as Edward. This time the wolves were upon the Denali's before even they had expected, before the fight had been enclosed in thick tree cover and foliage. The ambush the pack had set had worked well, this fight was in the open, and with a burning fire behind the Denali's should they fail, where the pack would discard of them if they fell here. Eleazar broke forward into the fight first; ahead of both Tanya and Kate.

He collided savagely into the pod directly in front of him; with a powerful leap he jumped, using one of the wolves as leverage to leap higher, as he grabbed onto one of their muzzles. He pushed down as he propelled himself higher, driving the mutt face first into the wet mud. Eleazar raised his augmented arm then, bringing it down and sinking deeply into the wolf's spine, feeling muscle tissue rip beneath his arm, the blood splattered against him as he landed upon the balls of his feet. The second wolf was quick to come to its pack mate's aid as Eleazar tried to remove his arm from deep in the wolf's body, it howled under the shifting of the limb. Eleazar could do nothing as he found himself joined to the wolf's body struggling to remove his arm from deep within the mutt, he felt the moment the teeth sank into the side of his shoulder and chest.

Kate weaved through the mass of large wolf bodies, seeing Eleazar in the mouth of one of the wolves snarling viciously. The rage at being beaten by these dogs once before, she extended the charge over her skin, Kate didn't strike them, didn't fight like she should have then, she needed to close the distance between herself and Eleazar.

Jasper had explained often how effective hitting and moving could be, it was easy to be drawn into the thrill of a fight and look to end it when you had an enemy on the back foot. With numbers so large it wasn't an option, he'd believed smart though; strike and move had been his strategy, allow those coming behind you to deliver the killer blow. Kate felt the first heated touch of wolf under her charge, and listened to the whimpering yelp as it scurried back and crashed into another of its pack mates, opening a space between the bodies, as she dived through and grabbed hold of the wolf that had claimed purchase of her mentor and friend in its beastly mouth. The dark russet wolf buckled under the agonising shocking touch, crumpling and releasing the vice like grip its jaw had locked on Eleazar's shoulder and body.

Kate shoved the wolf away then, placing a well-placed kick into the wolf's side, sending it a short distance away, while Eleazar finally ripped his arm free from the deeply injured wolf. A spray of blood splashing against his body and face as he struck a vital artery and the wolf staggered to the ground shifting back to a male instantly; the naked native man was clawing at the large wound on his body now, and trying to move back, backing away from the vampire that had impaled him with his arm. Eleazar all but ignoring the wounded man turning to Kate urgently, the wolves had them closed in and already Kate was using her touch to defend Eleazar as he'd dealt with his own wolf.

"Where's Tanya, Kate?" Eleazar yelled, moving beside her and parrying down the bite of a wolf and then backhanding it. The wolves were so many that against these few enemies they were failing to work together, and instead the pods were hindering each other, trying to get their own claim on the kill. Eleazar couldn't understand where the driving force had gone. These seemed less organised then before they didn't fight nearly as effectively, he feared they'd soon figure out their own error. They needed to find Tanya and fight closer; being separated wouldn't give any of them an advantage now.

"I don't know. Eleazar more are coming!" Kate screamed, as she pulled a wolf closer towards her body, closing her arms around it and sinking her teeth into the side of its large fur covered throat. This time Eleazar was moving to cover Kate as she delivered what they'd often considered the kiss of death to these creatures, as she delivered venom into their bodies poisoning them.

Kate had been right though as Eleazar could just about make out that more wolves were arriving, another pod of five wolves, and still Eleazar knew he wasn't seeing some of those he'd faced once before, the black wolf; the large Alpha was still not present. The smaller wolves were not here, he still couldn't see Tanya around the bodies of wolves moving at them swiping and slashing to try and bring them down. The sound of metal ripping brought a cold shiver over Eleazar's body, he could see the instant that Kate hesitated just as she had before.

"No Kate. Keep fighting!" Eleazar roared, the destructible claws of a wolf dragging down his back tearing into his usually impenetrable marble skin.

Tanya had tried, she'd fought with every part of her being, every moment of experience she'd had during this life, but numbers were something even she could not overcome. She'd decided to fight alone, a mistake or even arrogance on her own part, she'd delivered fatally life ending strikes on these beasts but they healed fast, faster then she'd known and they'd come back; wilder and more aggressive. She'd been backed towards the flames having to move further from both Kate and Eleazar, who she couldn't even see amongst the packs force now. She'd been backed into a corner, the flames burning harshly behind her and the wolves in front of her.

Tanya had not seen the addition to the pack's numbers closing in and when they had crashed forward into her, it had swept her from her feet, once on the ground she'd been completely vulnerable. No amount of clawing, scratching and even pathetic attempts at biting had helped her, as she'd felt the tearing of her limbs beneath the wolves that pawed and shredded at her body. She saw the moment a leg was removed by a wolf and discarded aside from its mouth as she shrieked beneath, feeling her nails sink into the face of a mutt, almost pleading for something to save her but her pleading had been ended when teeth had closed in around her head. She'd felt every painful moment, the crush of her skull under its jaw, the twisting of her head and then the savage pop of her head from her neck before everything around her had faded from her sight.

Kate, even though fighting, couldn't help but try to work her way towards the sound of tearing vampire flesh; towards the fire they had tried to distance themselves from. She knew Eleazar was right, she couldn't become distracted, last time she had allowed herself to become distracted and it had almost cost her. Now her sister who had saved her from near death before against these monsters was likely harmed and vulnerable to being destroyed and she couldn't stomach the thought of not returning the favour.

Kate turned to see Eleazar, his usually pristine and almost aristocratic appearance was looking bloody and disturbing now, his face coated in the sticky blood of wolves, clothing stained and stuck to him from the rainfall. He continued fighting, a gathering of thick slashes covering his chest from a wolf's claws, there were large cracks over his shoulder, and the shirt had all but been chewed off his body.

Kate knew if she went to Tanya now Eleazar wouldn't make it, she'd barely been touched in the fight, whenever one even got close enough she was able to turn her touch upon them and it sent them whimpering back. Still they tried to get her, tried to find a way to end her life. The wolves knew they'd almost killed her before, and she could almost taste their determination in the air as it felt like more numbers came towards her now instead of Eleazar. She felt like she was in a sea of these mutts, a never ending army, that no matter how many she shocked or knocked away or even attempted to deliver the killing blow never stopped coming.

Kate saw it then, a wolf with Tanya's headless torso in its mouth dragging it towards the flames, the inferno that still burned; she was losing hope. How could they still not be here if they'd survived, and now she was going to witness her sister die again at the hands of these mongrels. Kate turned to Eleazar again so unsure of what to do, and then felt as her left arm was ripped from her body, she buckled under the pain.

Eleazar turning to her and sprinting to her without thought, driving his very body into the wolf that had taken advantage of her distracted mind, which had seen the opening. A wolf smart enough to see that as long as he did not touch skin he was safe, the wolf had latched onto the top of Kate's shoulder, covered by material and latched on, the second he'd broke through skin and fabric he'd felt the shock again but he'd not been without restraint against the pain and as he'd jerked away, pulling the arm with it.

Eleazar had broken his own line to protect her, as she'd somewhat been ready to leave him for dead against so many wolves to save her sister. Kate snarled, ripping her shirt from her body and lunging towards the wolves. Her skin was what caused pain, Edward had used her clothing in their fighting to harm her, now she'd remove that advantage. She was a succubus after all, what modesty did she even have right to claim now.

Purple smoke hissed out from the burning wall of fire before the wolves, as they backed away once disposing of the pieces, the scent of the sickly sweet smell repelling them. Arrogantly they yelped and barked between them, so sure that their pack mates would soon enough be ending the two remaining, it had been easier then they'd been warned of. Only three had survived the trap that was set days ago now, they could see that the female and male now both were crippled and had no chance of fighting the numbers, even if the naked appearance of the female leeches chest had distracted some of the younger males. Not that any would be distracted for long, she was a filthy bloodsucking parasite, the wolves in the pod that had destroyed Tanya stood watching the limbs slowly char and turn to nothing amongst the blaze.

It was the strange hiss that made their hair stand on end, like the fire itself was hissing at them. Only as they looked closer could they see the bright red eyes beyond the flame. Then an almighty wind was brought forward and a crash was felt over the ground beneath their paws, as two large trees crashed violently before them, sending billowing smoke and washing the flames forward, catching the wolves slightly but only slightly singing their furred muzzles. The wolves were unable to react; the second the two large trees crashed down upon the ground, sending a groaning explosion into the surroundings, two figures broke through the billowing smoke of the smothered flames. A break in the inferno had been made, and then the wolf that had once before been so arrogantly yelping amongst his brothers of the kill they had claimed found himself face to face with the one the alpha wanted most.

 **-RD-**

The moment that both Xavier and Emmet were able to bring the two large oaks down upon the wall of flames, Edward knew that he would end as many wolves as he could. He'd been helpless to do anything but hold onto Peter and continue to tell the rest of his family what was happening. He'd been completely useless to stop Tanya from being overwhelmed by the sheer numbers, and tenacity of the wolves before she'd been destroyed. All he'd been able to do was listen into the minds, as they arrogantly believed themselves already victors, so sure that the trap had killed them all. Edward kept Peter pinned to his chest, holding him in his vice like grip, Peter's fingers clawing at Edward's battered hands and burned forearms as Peter shrieked and snarled. All while Edward relayed each blow of the fight, Eleazar and Kate would not last much longer alone.

Especially with them now knowing that Tanya was gone, that pain he knew all too well, knew how it would only make them more feral and less likely to think, less likely to defend themselves while fighting simply to cause as much damage as they could without thinking to defend. Edward had released Peter the moment the flames had been smothered, they knew the fire would catch soon enough but smothering the flames for a short moment would give them the opening.

It was what the wolves who had only moments ago celebrated, would find when the smoke rose and made Edward virtually hidden to their sight as he and Peter broke through the smoke first, with his family trailing behind.

Edward leapt through the smoke, his target set. The arrogant male before him, the father of the boy he'd crippled on the first day this all began, when he'd all but started this war. He pushed away the thought of a disabled child and a crying mother who lingered in this man's mind, he wanted revenge too, but Edward's thirst for revenge was also for justice.

In war, sides took causalities, and yet Edward still didn't find pity or remorse, he would take them all from this world, he'd become everything that he'd once believed himself. An omen, a bringer of death, a cursed parasite upon this world that brought death all where he went, the people of the reservation had wanted the monster. The cold one and he was here now with his own army, the pack had destroyed many of his family and now it was time to end this.

Tanya would be mourned, Charlotte and the savage feral Peter would be too when he found his end, but later. Edward landed as the wolf rose to meet him, mouth parted and ready to take a large bite of Edward. Edward knew this was coming, still the wolf was surprised, and not able to move to the speed that Edward was furiously driving into each movement. Edward's palm striking under the chin of the mutt snapping his head upwards and then climbing upon the wolf's back, pushing his ruined hands into the mouth of the dog. Taking hold of its dangerous jaws in his blackened healing hands, the other pack members could do nothing as they watched Edward atop Christopher Call, pulling the mutts mouth open and then forcing the jaws open beyond even the dogs' limit. The sickening snap and ripping of muscle as the jaw was broken brutally, Edward all but detaching its jaw from the head while the mutt shifted and slumped beneath him dead. The once vengeful and enraged wolf was nothing more now than a disfigured and mangled mortal corpse, at the ground of this cold one that would hunt and destroy them all.

Peter's kill was no less savage; every word that Edward had whispered into his ear, the touch of the immortal upon his skin as he'd held him in place had been his only mantra. He couldn't think of what he'd lost but he could imagine all the death that Edward promised him. He could thrill in being unleashed, as he became the caged animal that these creatures believed them anyway.

Peter had collided into an unsuspecting wolf that was distracted by the fighting behind him, and the flames that were blown out of a portion of the forest. He did not see the grieving cold one that had slammed him to the ground. He had not been able to even brace himself for the bite that Peter had delivered, and yet he'd not just bitten into this creature.

Peter had chewed; he'd deeply torn into the thick fur and muscle of the wolf's throat, all but removing the head with his teeth as blood sprayed over Peter's face. The rest of the pod would find themselves the ones on the back foot trying to reorganise, completely surprised by the attack, and the brutality of it. Before them were two feral creatures they weren't prepared for, the promise of an easy fight had been fuelling all of their confidence, they'd been so confident the trap would destroy them all; and they'd believed it had.

The gathering of wolves that had been close to the fire were completely massacred as the remaining family broke through the smoke. As the fires started to lick and catch over the new trees that had now been added to fuel the blaze. They'd stopped thinking of the potential threat and then been met by vengeful immortals, that had been forced to endure watching loved ones die. Jasper snapped the neck of the wolf he'd caught before it had ran towards the rest of the numbers that were still surrounding Kate and Eleazar from what he could see, Jasper turning to Edward.

"This isn't all of them!" Jasper said urgently, worried that perhaps Sam had held off some of the pack, these were all larger wolves, some he recognised but most of them he didn't. These were mainly the adult males that had only recently taken the shift after the first attack that had happened on Quileute soil.

"No it isn't." Edward said darkly, wiping the blood from his hands down the front of his stained and singed shirt. Turning to look at Jasper as he pressed his foot down into the muzzle of the wolf beneath him. The sound of a wet squelch as the head cracked and imploded under his bare foot, his family had completely annihilated this small pod that had destroyed Tanya, now they needed to help get Kate and Eleazar out from the surrounding numbers, more were coming towards them now to kill them. They didn't have much time and Edward needed to explain to Jasper what was happening.

"Joshua tried to stop Sam. He didn't want the children involved, Sam was ready to use his alpha command to force them. They're disorganised because the whole pack aren't here, because Sam and Joshua are fighting for right to lead the pack. I need to get to First Beach Jasper. If Sam wins, there will be too many, even for us. I need to end this Jasper, I need to destroy Sam Uley!" Edward growled, he'd not been able to pick up much from the minds but that shared link was like an echoed message, it gave him insight even now to what was happening on first beach. Some had stayed because they were part of Sam's direct pack; Joshua had refused to fight and refused to allow the young boys in the pack to go. Sam had accepted that as a challenge, and Joshua had simply had no choice but to try and protect the children that he believed had no place in a war with the Cullen family. A war he wasn't even sure should have ever been allowed to happen, Joshua Uley was starting to see a change in his son and had seen how the council's lies had distorted the pack. He knew it was too late to save those lost, but Joshua was hoping to at least save the children.

"We'll find you an opening." Emmet said seriously, as he stepped past Edward nodding towards Jasper, as Peter was already running straight into the numbers of the wolves.

"Yes, don't worry, we know your target was Sam all along. We'll handle these, or do our best. You need to get to First Beach; Sam can't be allowed to use his alpha command on those unwilling. We cut this off at the head of the beast, kill the Alpha Edward, we won't be far behind you, be safe brother." Jasper reached forward as they both grasped hands, nodding in reassurance to one another, and then the three ran towards the coming wolves. Emmet and Jasper ahead as they broke into the line of wolves loudly.

The sound of immortal flesh devastatingly crunching into the softer bodies of powerful wolves even while dulled against the sound of pouring rain and burning forest, still echoed amongst them. The sound of the claws cutting deeply into the marble like skin, the metallic shriek that somehow resembled thunder and then the returning blows of wet snapping as the wolves were hit with ferocious precision.

The fight was gruesome, even with the added numbers to the Cullen force still they would struggle against the numbers of the pack, but it was clearly beginning to lean towards the direction of the enraged immortals. Once again the packs vast vulnerabilities being shown, their large size and still very much mortal bodies took damage quickly and plentiful.

The only thing that even saved them from the quick defeat was that the pack that had destroyed Tanya had the numbers and time to heal, the healing factor somehow seemed even more potent now then Edward could remember, as he dodged the coming attack of two wolves that had targeted him amongst the confrontation. As Edward ducked and weaved beneath the two pursuing wolves, with the deathly agility and speed that made him a demon to best by any foe. He seemed almost untouchable to these dogged wolves that were determined to be the one to return to the reservation with his head for Sam.

 **-RD-**

Emmet was laying in wait, so large and yet completely disregarded by these wolves for the more desired enemy in Edward. The unsuspecting wolf had been caught impressively out from the air. Emmet gripping tightly onto the scruff of the mutts thick fur coat at the back of his neck, jerking it back instantly and then flinging it towards another grouping of wolves as they crashed together. Edward and Emmet sharing a glance between each other, the wolves were all around them and yet the entire family were trying in vain to break through to help aid Eleazar and Kate. Edward knew his family were being spread thin; Alice and Rose were fighting together alongside Rochelle deeper left, closer to the flames but seemed to be holding them off better then Eleazar and Kate.

Rochelle's supposed subtle gift in this battle was a lethal injection of destruction, the wolves could smell her but following her scent in battle was useless now. Blind to her, she was cleaning up every wolf that even dared to get to close to either Alice or Rose. Rochelle had already destroyed more wolves then both Edward and Emmet combined, she didn't need technique and skill when her opponent couldn't see her, but Edward could see the wolves becoming more aware of the ghost on this battlefield.

He could read in the minds of the shared link that there had been a warning spread, it was another struggle for Edward as he found his mind bombarded with so many different battles within his own thoughts. The one he was most interested in, the one far from this battle and on the secluded forest area around first beach where a father and son fought one another for right to rule the pack. Edward didn't have all the answers but he knew, he knew without any doubt that when Sam bested his father another force of wolves would be heading towards them. It would be far too large for even his family to beat now; even now he could see the fatigue even with their endless stamina. In their minds he could see the pain and grief beginning to hinder them.

Edward drove his feet into the body of a wolf, kicking its feet from Emmett, then reaching out his arm as Emmett locked his own hand around Edward's forearm tossing him over his head. The two were fighting together perfectly; Emmett's brute strength and Edward's speed were effective on battering back the pack.

Emmett and Edward both ensuring not to allow numbers to overwhelm them completely, the small pod of Alice and Rose sweeping behind the two groups of males, while Jasper and Xavier tried relentlessly to guide the feral Peter who attacked blindly and without thought. Both Xavier and Jasper receiving blows from Peter for simply finding themselves in his path of destruction. Peter's mind was gone and while he inspired fear amongst the wolves with his insanity, he was becoming dangerous to even those he fought alongside. It was then Edward could see the pain and panic in Eleazar's mind as two wolves pinned him to the ground.

Kate was moving towards him, using her exposed body to shock and bat away wolves. It wouldn't be enough time; she had been separated amongst the fray and carnage of both forces clashing. There was no one that could reach Eleazar and with his handicap of only having one hand he wasn't finding any way to escape beneath the two wolves that were sinking into his torso and legs beginning to pull.

Edward knew if they were to pull apart Eleazar now that he'd be destroyed, the pack would find a way to burn him, his family was far too stretched, and if Eleazar was torn apart now it would be a death sentence. Something Edward couldn't allow, selfish reasons hidden behind his desire to save the man that he'd need in hopes of learning more of his gift. The man who had given his own mate to protect Edward's while they fought, Edward turned to Emmett, he could see clearly something was wrong on Edward's face.

"Throw me!" Edward demanded and began charging towards Emmett without giving his larger brother any time to think, Emmett reacting quickly as he braced himself.

Edward used Emmett's thigh as a support as he leaped up, feeling both of Emmett's large hands grip the back of his right leg and shirt, adding force behind Edward's leap. Edward felt the wind whistle against his face, his shirt all but left behind as it ripped from his body from Emmett's grip, it was forgotten though as he was sent towards Eleazar's prone body. Edward crashed into the darker toned wolf that had kept hold of Eleazar's torso, the impact so powerful with Emmett's aid it instantly killed the wolf he slammed into. Eleazar already fighting back against the canine's mouth that had purchase of his legs when his upper body had been freed, driving his augmented arm into the side of the wolf's throat and then violently slamming through as the head of the wolf fell to the ground as blood sprayed over both Edward and Eleazar in water hydrant like fashion drenching them in the potent scent of wolf.

 **-RD-**

"It's no use Jasper!" Xavier growled, as he found himself nursing more wounds from Peter then even the wolves. The untamed grief stricken immortal was uncontrollable. A blood covered, salivating monster that made the hairs on Xavier's neck stand on edge, he'd purposely made sure Rochelle was fighting alongside Rose and Alice so she'd not be in this man's path. He understood, he'd witnessed the devastating scene of what this man had endured and he didn't envy what this man was going through, but Peter wasn't doing well. Already he'd lost a large section of his arm and stomach, he had not even slowed down under the pain. Feral and enraged he'd kept going while Jasper and Xavier had tried to defend the removed parts of his body.

"I know, but he's more useful to us alive now then dead. We can't afford to lose anymore numbers!" Jasper yelled back, as he reached forward, yanking Peter from the corpse of one of the pack members. His human body sickeningly twisted and shredded under Peter's teeth and claws, the puss and white gunk seeping out from his eyes and ears into the grass beneath him, as if the body inside was turning to nothing but rotten organ matter as it leaked from the collapsing body. The swelling of the deadly venom they all carried inside of them had not been this pack member's killer but it still worked its own brand of evil over the dead body.

Both Xavier and Jasper froze up at the sound of female cries, turning towards the direction of both of their mates, knowing that they were possibly in danger now. Jasper hesitated, looking towards Peter, who now was moving towards the closing in wolves, without their guidance he'd likely be destroyed very quickly. Xavier and Jasper had been his only reason for lasting so long. Peter was completely gone, he fought on instinct, without any technique or defence, he completely disregarded any harm because the vampire no longer cared to survive, he only wished to destroy; then die. Jasper knew he'd regret this decision even though he knew the outcome was no different either way; Peter had been a brother to him once upon a time in a different life and part of a different army. He'd risked everything to help Peter and Charlotte escape from the south when Maria had decided to destroy them once they'd lived out their usefulness. He found it almost stomach churning ironic that now he'd abandon Peter. That he was of no use to him, he'd move past it one day; he needed to get to his mate. He couldn't leave her if she was in trouble and he couldn't demand Xavier to do the same, Jasper locked eyes with Xavier after a brief moment of watching Peter.

"Let's go. He'll handle himself." Jasper said, while knowing it was a lie. Xavier finding that he wouldn't argue, neither of them was blind to what they were doing. They were leaving the man to die; both would deal with this decision in their own way in the future if they managed to survive this battle. But for now, protecting their mates was more important than protecting the feral immortal that had already lost his mate in this fight. Both men leapt into action, closing in on the sounds of the females' pain.

 **-RD-**

Peter was completely deranged and unaware of the deeply scarred and wounded wolves that closed in on him as he drained one of his victims to his rage. He had not delivered the killing blow to these enemies, and they'd found themselves unable to move around his defenders in the two males that had struggled to confine and guide Peter, much like a wrecking ball through the wolves' numbers. Now alone, the three wolves moved together, the largest of the three snapping his vice like canines around Peter's body and throwing him into the air towards his pack mates. Both wolves leaping up eagerly as they licked over their muzzles and sank their teeth into this leech. Tearing his legs and lower torso away from the still flailing monster that had been left for them to destroy.

Even then as his top half hit the ground, Peter snarled and swiped towards the wolves. Peter clawed at the ground dragging his body over the slick water logged ground, blood splattered over the once lush green meadow. The large wolf, a dark tanned colour, was moving in and then looming over Peter's remains. A large sinister smile crossing his face as he shoved his body, what remained of it off from the ground with his one arm that was still fully intact, clutching onto the underbelly of the wolf.

The wolf's struggles were futile as Peter sank his fingers deeper into its skin. Ripping into its stomach and chewing his way into the body and ripping through muscle and tissue as the body above him became human. Intestines falling from the human body as Peter still with his one hand, clawed into the man's stomach and torso. He didn't see the two wolves that had returned to aid their pack mate.

They'd disposed of his leg and not expected their brother to fall to this monster with only half a body; they made quick work of the distracted monster though without pause then. Teeth and claws ending the mentally unstable immortal, for the briefest of moments even then both men considered turning and leaving, disturbed beyond anything they could stomach at what they had already seen and been witness too. They could not however, to turn away now was their people's end, and this immortal was only more proof that the cold ones could not be allowed to live.

 **-RD-**

Rose cried out as she felt the teeth sink deeper into the side of her face, neck and shoulder, the large bite closing around her while her fingers reached to claw at the face. The mutt jerked her around as he tried to rip her head clean from her body, Rose couldn't help but feel that somehow she'd brought this onto herself as she found herself clinging to hope that now her family would save her.

Alice and she had barely spoken since what she'd said to Jasper, and she'd almost abandoned her family when she'd wanted to run with Emmett. Of course she'd not left without him, how could she, how could she ever walk away when he was the love of her existence, the one true good thing that had come from the curse of the life that Carlisle had given her.

She'd been devastated by losing Carlisle and Esme, even more so Esme because what they'd once shared, they had been mother and daughter in ways that Esme had never had with Alice. Of course Rose had been jealous of the instant love Esme had shown Bella at first, already so filled with jealousy over the human girl for many reasons.

Even now as she saw and believed Bella her sister, she'd felt that shift when she'd seen Bella hurt on that table as she'd aided Carlisle in saving her the night all this had changed. She'd realised as she'd worked on Bella's wounded body and face that she would care if Bella were lost. That her life had come to mean something to her, now she knew she wouldn't beat this dog and her death was coming.

Alice couldn't get to her; they'd both convinced Rochelle to get to Kate, the only one to move with any skill around these wolves, so she knew the invisible assassin wouldn't be saving her. Rose found herself pleading for a god to save her, apologising for every terrible selfish thing she'd done and said. If only she could be given more time. The teeth sank deeper and her scream heightened as her legs kicked against the second wolf that closed his jaw around her struggling legs, and then they began to pull as her nails dug into the wolf's face that had her shoulder and neck locked in its mouth.

"Rosalie!" Alice cried out amongst the sounds of chaos around them, Rose could still hear it as her sister called out to her hysterically, even now Alice cared when all she'd done had tried to hurt the man she loved. She'd said terrible awful things to Jasper, even more so to Edward her brother, the man she'd focussed her hate towards for decades for no reason but her need to blame and hate someone. He'd been a victim to her hatred for so long and he'd still cared about her, had found the men who had hurt her had even pleaded with her when she'd wanted to kill them that he'd do it for her. She could still remember his soothing words when she'd believed him the most handsome man she'd ever seen, before she'd found her Emmett when she'd still been the vain young girl completely taken by only money and looks.

" _We all make choices Rosalie. I've made many, this choice though; it doesn't need to be rushed. Allow me; I could carry this for you. It is a hat I have worn before; it is something I would do for you. As your brother, I would take the men who harmed you. Let me do this for you sister, let me take this burden."_

She'd reacted harshly to him then, still stung by his rejection of her and by his constant seeming showings of perfection that had angered her more. She knew now that he'd have killed all those men that night, that Edward would have taken on those deaths even knowing how much he burdened himself with the lives he'd taken before, so that she didn't have to. It had taken her knowing her death was coming to see how wrong she'd been, that Emmett had been so completely right. Emmett, her beautiful joyful husband, who had deserved so much better then what he'd received in a mate than her, she'd been selfish, he had been correct. She prayed he'd survive somehow even in her destruction.

"I'm sorry Emmy." Rose whispered, as she felt the tearing of her body, her legs going numb beneath her, her fingers sinking into the eye of the wolf, pulling as her last ditch attempt to save her own life and the future of her mate. She knew now, knew that with her death she'd only seal Emmett's death too, all the mistakes she'd made because of her own pain and she knew. Just as she'd secretly known when they'd found Carlisle, there was no surviving the loss of a mate and now her husband would have to endure that pain because she hadn't been strong enough. Rosalie's vision began to spot before her as the light around her began to fade, the teeth breaking into her neck and through her shoulder, fractures and cracks forming over her throat and neck as she knew her head was being removed with her lower half.

"Not today asshole!" Jasper snarled.

Rosalie was only able to hear the sound of Jasper's voice, and then the snap of bone in her ears, as the jaw around her shoulder and neck loosened and dropped her body roughly to the ground. Her head still clouded and vision blurred around the scenario, the second mutt was ripped away from her lower half and all but flung clear across the battlefield, forty feet as she looked up from Jasper then to Emmett. She felt the sob form in the back of her throat, almost too exhausted to say or even move, not that she could afford such time.

Jasper reached down, helping her up and then tilting her head to the side as he looked over the large bite mark that spanned from her shoulder and neck to beneath her jaw and cheek. His once unscarred sister was going to carry a very deep reminder of this day, not only physically but mentally too. He'd endured in her regret and acceptance; he knew she'd been ready to die, much like he had when he'd believed the flames would be his end. Emmett moved closer to Rose as he looked from her saddened expression and wounded body, cupping her cheek only for a moment as he looked into her eyes.

"You're okay. We aren't finished though Rosie, so the sorry is just going to have to wait, okay sweet cheeks?" Emmett grinned, and Rose found herself smiling back at him, even despite everything that was happening. She only nodded, done with words, done with everything, she had a family to fight alongside and protect. She wasn't about to be a coward now, not when they'd come to her aid so readily. Even Jasper who she'd openly taunted with her cruel words only hours ago hadn't thought twice to leap to action for her.

"We've got to get Edward out of here, something is shifting in the wolves emotions, they're becoming ready to retreat. I can sense it in them, they've taken too many losses and with Sam still fighting his father they fear they may not get the backup they were promised." Jasper said as he spat into his hand, coating his fingers with venom and then reaching forward and pressing his venom over the large gash that was open over Rosalie's neck as she hissed and almost recoiled. Emmett snorting through his nose, shaking his head, slightly disturbed by the act that Jasper carried out to help heal the wound on his mate's neck.

"Fucking sick, man. Really… spitting on her?" Emmett shook his head, and then stopped himself, gathering his control, not wanting to make a joke of anything; he'd seen his mate almost torn apart. He knew Jasper was trying to help, and a time where he would have joked about it was gone now, they weren't finished, this fight wasn't over. As long as the wolves still had numbers for a pack, and Sam was still breathing, they all knew that Edward would not allow this to be over and neither would Sam. Both men would fight till one of them was dead.

Jasper could hear the sound of howling then in the background, and the distant wolves that were closing in, it seemed that the fight between Sam and his father was over and more wolves were coming. They needed to get to Edward, Jasper knew that now even more urgently then he had before, time for hesitation was over, they had no time to try and regroup.

 **-RD-**

"Get down!" Eleazar roared, as he leapt over Edward latching onto the wolf that had almost caught Edward off guard, the numbers were still at the largest in the centre of the battle as he fought alongside both Eleazar and Kate now. Bodies were piling up now, and his family were closing in, the sound of more wolves promised that the final wave was in pursuit.

Edward had lost any insight of the fight between Sam and Joshua Uley when Sam had given those that remained in wolf form to join the fight. Joshua had then crumpled under the pain and shifted to human before Sam had also then changed. Edward had no clue what would happen between the father and son but it was clear Sam had won. The young men who had refused to shift and who followed Joshua's leadership over Sam were now in a precarious position. One Edward believed would fall to Sam's command soon enough.

He planned on ending Sam before he had a chance to use his alpha command on the wolves that were unwilling to fight his war, the children that were scared, and not ready to fight the cold ones that they feared. Even the handful of men who had been loyal to Joshua over Sam had remained with the young boys that had no right even being part of war. Barely older then children in age they were far from ready for this battle to the death, Edward cared not for the shifters only on ensuring Sam couldn't take advantage of the numbers that were rebelling against him.

"Where the fuck is my arm?" Kate snarled, as she kept the wolf beneath her pinned under her charged touch, Edward would have been amused at her appearance if the situation was not so disturbingly horrific with her arm missing and bear torso. The male shifters hadn't known whether to be disgusted or impressed by Kate's physical appearance. Most of them young men they'd been confused by the two separate parts of their nature. The hate had won out as it often did with their kind, and it hadn't taken them long to all but see past her nude body when it was her skin that caused such agonising pain to them while fighting.

Edward could see her arm a short distance away near to him; the wolves, usually quick to throw any pieces they were able to remove to the flames, had been forced to forgo sending away members. When the numbers were shifting so drastically with so many mutts dying, as they thought they couldn't afford to have a clean up party, as they had in the past to burn the remains of any they defeated.

Edward ran towards the arm, the coming wolf bearing down upon him as he dropped to his knees, sliding forward and ducking down at an almost painful angle as he snapped his arms out. Knocking the mutts front legs from under its body, the wolf whimpers brought an echo of joy to Edward, as the continuous fighting and aggression he unleashed brought a dark pleasure to him. Spinning with all the grace of a seasoned warrior, he sprang up from the ground, taking hold of Kate's arm by the wrist, and using it to bludgeon the wolf, as it tried to find its footing, and charge Edward down again. Edward was unable to suppress the almost maniacal chuckle that passed from his lips, the sight of this wolf being knocked clear away from him with his own cousins severed arm was disturbing to most, he was sure; but he couldn't help but think of the times he'd played baseball with his siblings.

"My arm is not a bat you asshole!" Kate snarled over his deep laughing. Eleazar moving beside Edward, while he too was completely submerged in the fight, he couldn't help but feel the need to judge and look over Edward's mental state. Something dark and dominating was in those onyx eyes now, and he knew that this was Edward, free of the restraints that he often held in place to hold himself humane and within control.

Eleazar took Kate's arm from Edward as he released it without argument turning in time to see the wolves break through the tree line; these members had been held back at Sam's orders, they were some of his best fighters. Sam had been so sure he'd held off sending his more experienced members simply because he'd expected his pack to walk over what would remain from his clever trap left in place. Edward didn't wait to meet the wolves as he launched himself towards them, feeling his siblings closing in with him; some of the wolves had retreated back but now were face to face with the reinforcements that Sam had sent them.

"We can't keep fighting waves of wolves. How many more do they have within the Alpha's command? We're all carrying injuries, some of us more so then other's. We can't keep fighting these god damn animals for long!" Eleazar snarled, as he moved beside Edward, Jasper and Emmett moved to flank both males, as they charged towards the wolves, as they turned and moved deeper into the forest. They wanted to be chased, they were hoping to use the closed in surroundings to catch the vampire's off guard.

"Be aware, they're hoping to ambush us. Take to the trees. High ground, they'll be left weaker to our attacks if we move above them and swoop down to take them out. They are well trained fighters, Sam held them back. A mistake on his own part, his arrogance has cost him dearly. We have to keep fighting, and I need to get to First Beach. I will kill Sam!" Edward commanded easily, as he pointed to Rochelle and Xavier, pointing in the direction he expected them to take, to the left area of the tree line as the two jumped up effortlessly, and Rochelle once again vanished from sight to all.

"You go Edward. I'll guide our family from here. As you said, use the trees. Once you're far enough out, go by foot. Kill Sam and his farther if he tries to protect his son. We end this now; you wanted the Alpha so now go claim him. We shall take care of the rest here brother, let us do our part so you can now do your own." Jasper said, as they broke into the tree line, Jasper turning to give Alice a launching station from off his thigh as he flung her up into the tree tops to continue her pursuit of the wolves, and he began to climb with Emmett and Rose close behind.

"Once you end all of them, throw the bodies into the fire. Help the fire spread over the battle scene, we may not be able to cover much but the growing fire may be just what we needed. We'll end this now, we've lost enough, and the pack has imploded under their own fault this day. Joshua has placed the entire pack at my feet to be slaughtered with his decision to fight his son on this night. The pack is at odds." Edward jumped up as he shared a look with his brother, before moving ahead, passing over some of the wolves as they took in the sight of him moving in the direction of La Push, realising too late what Edward was doing, they tried to chase after him, only then to find themselves under attack by his family.

Edward was closing the distance between himself and Sam Uley, and what would remain of the pack; he'd be vastly outnumbered if Sam used his command on those with him to attack Edward. Unlike Sam though, Edward knew he had a secret weapon if things were to turn out of his favour; the highly effective gift, he'd tried to suppress it, tried to control it even, but as he placed an even greater distance between himself and his own family he felt little care for his ability lashing out. He knew Sam would fight, and Edward couldn't wait for his opportunity to fight the alpha of the pack that had taken so much from him. They had believed themselves protectors, and the hunters of vampires, Edward would forever change the thought that they were ever the hunters in this battle of the species.

 **-RD-**

"My own father, turning against me? You would rather take sides with our enemy then your brothers? They are nothing, a parasite... a plague on this world. They are death, and they feed on the living to continue on. Instead of helping me protect our people, you decided to try and take from me my right as Alpha." Sam snarled down at his father, looming over his beaten body, pulling back only to drive his foot into his father's stomach as he recoiled and coughed roughly.

Joshua was by no means a weaker wolf, similar in size and ability, it had simply come down to Joshua not having the rage or anger to deliver the killer blows his son had been willing to deliver during their fight. Countless times he'd had the opportunity to stop Sam, but Joshua hadn't had the heart to truly hurt his son, now he was seeing he may have been wrong to hold back.

Joshua had tried to take control only as a last resort, his son had changed before his eyes that day Leah had died, and at first Joshua had believed what he'd been told. About the unprovoked attack on the three boys the night this war had truly started, he'd learnt with each day and more sense of the shared mental link that he'd been lied to. Joshua was finally in on the secrets that men like Harry Clearwater, Billy Black and Old Quill had kept from him.

The constant concern he'd had for his son and yet he'd accepted the lack of information from the men of the council because that was how it was done. He'd been conditioned not to ask questions of those above him, and he'd allowed his son to be used and essentially brainwashed. When Joshua had finally tried to help Sam, he'd been too blind to it in his grief of losing the woman he loved. The woman he'd wanted to be with, who Billy had lied and tricked Sam into believing he could be with. Young teenagers, who had been nothing but pawns to a game played by an old bitter man who had never taken to the gene because he'd already been a crippled shell of his once former self after his own accident and wife's death.

Joshua Uley, while untrusting of the immortals that he'd found himself facing in battle now, without any real truth for the reasons one of them had attacked. He hadn't wanted to turn from his son; he'd tried his best to convince Sam not to attack their leader. Joshua had known that by doing so, by taking the only one trying to stop the violence would only bring more agony.

They'd not attacked straight away, and Sam had become overwhelmed with paranoia. Then he'd created the plan with Chris Call and Gavin Hang, former explosive expert who had taken the shift later then the rest. Sam had been ready then to send the young boys, children who had until recently been allowed to stay far from the vampires and any duties within the tribe to fight. They'd been scared, and then Joshua and the other men had decided to step forward.

Joshua, while he'd loved and failed his son, wouldn't allow his son to send children to fight this enemy. He'd seen into the eyes of Edward Cullen that day he'd killed Leah Clearwater, he'd seen the deranged rage that came from a man protecting not only his family, but also the woman he loved. Joshua knew that he was seeing the same insanity in his own son now, as he looked for revenge against the Cullen family. Joshua was trying to save his son because Joshua didn't believe that Sam could beat Edward, because Joshua knew when he was looking at a man with greater power then his son, and he saw that in Edward. He could see the destructive power in that cold ones very eyes and he would do anything to try and save his son from it. Joshua had failed though.

"Answer me!" Sam screamed down at his father, who was on the floor looking up at him with swollen eyes, and a broken nose, the bruising already starting to lighten in areas from his healing. They had always healed faster once in their human form, it took longer in wolf shape; though they could endure more pain as wolves then they could human.

"Our pack mates are dying because you betrayed me, because you'd rather side with a leech then your blood. Now tell me why?" Sam demanded hysterically, as he moved to reach down, one of the young boys stepping forward then throwing a blanket over Joshua's body. Trying to give the man some modesty as the child no older then eleven years in age looked up at Sam boldly, one of the other men trying to stop the child from placing himself in harm.

"You all think I'm the monster, but I'm trying to protect you from the monster!" Sam said desperately, seeing then that these men and children didn't see him as the Alpha, even when he'd beaten the challenge and if they refused to shift he couldn't force the alpha command upon them to fight.

"You couldn't protect them from me Sam Uley. You couldn't even protect yourself Alpha." The hissed sound of the velvety tones of a vampire rung around the small area of woods near First Beach as Sam turned around frantically towards the trees but feeling as if the voice was all around him in every direction.

"You couldn't protect the true Alpha, you couldn't protect your friends, and you couldn't even protect the woman you claimed to love. Pray tell, why they would ever believe you capable of protecting them from me..." Edward stepped forward then, from out of the shadows of the tree line into the light. Some of the children gasping in fear, hearts stuttering in their chests, as they looked at the first cold one some of them had ever seen in their short lives.

All eyes watched Edward as he walked with an air of death around him, his entire image everything they had feared from the tales that had been woven to them at bonfires since they were children. The rain did little to wash away the marring of blood that coated over his face and chest, the clothes on his very back all but torn and shredded away. Thick gatherings of cracks and slashes from those who had been able to harm him didn't seem to hinder him at all. His usually untamed hair was darker in tone, slicked back against his forehead from the constant pouring of rain. His injured hands while fuller and not so skeletal were still blackened and ruined, and the burns that had once licked up his arms looked like a lightly swirling pattern of lines.

Joshua couldn't look away, even as his eyes felt like they were still swollen beyond being able to open, he looked at the young man before him, and he could have so easily swapped him with his own son's position. Both seemed uncontrollable now, both seeking a vengeance against the other, and Joshua knew that it had been his own people who had allowed for this to come. It had been his people who had created the catalyst to unlocking this once animal drinking immortal to become this devastating machine of destruction. It had been Edward who had taken a life from the other side first, it had been he who broke the treaty that night, and Joshua knew it would either end with Edward's death or the death of the pack.

"We don't need to fight. We've both lost so much; please, we can end this before we all have nothing but regrets. Haven't we taken enough from one another, what more do we sacrifice for victory, our very souls, the men we once were, for revenge?" Joshua pleaded, as he tried to stand weakly, his body beaten but strong, healing with each moment he was allowed reprieve from the wounds that had been inflicted upon him by his son. Joshua would plead to his gods and his ancient descendants to somehow bring about an end to this bloodshed. He'd took part in this originally, but he'd been blind, he would no longer turn a blind eye to his own people's wrong doings.

"Like my father desired… To end this before your people were all killed, and see how your people honoured him? You left him... left his head as a sign of your respect for my mother to find. In him you killed any chance for my mercy, when I had to destroy my mother, you took from me any remorse I'd give you. There is no place for talk now, I want the Alpha and he has no desire for your words of peace either. Do you Alpha?" Edward taunted darkly, as Sam's very form trembled before him. Seeing that there was no chance for peace, Edward hadn't come here to stop the fighting through a truce; he'd come here to kill. Joshua Uley had waited too long to see the light, and now those he cared for including his son would suffer for every mistake they had made. For every choice they had made that had brought pain upon his family, it had started with a slip of control. Edward could see already Sam had none.

"Your father was a coward. He was a parasite that had rather help us stop you then fight with you!" Sam snarled, as his body lurched forward, and he shifted into the jet-black wolf that Edward had once believed worthy of some type of respect and pity. He felt nothing for this man now.

" _He fought like a child"_

Edward could see the memories then of Carlisle in Sam's mind, trying to harm him emotionally as he let him see the night Carlisle had come to meet with the pack. The night his father had betrayed him and decided to turn to his enemy in attempts to end the fighting before it truly was allowed to begin. He'd foolishly hoped to find a way to end this all and in turn only helped fuel the flames of this fight.

Edward could see his final message; he could see his father's acceptance of his death. Carlisle had realised just as Joshua had too late what was becoming of the leaders of both families, they had shown his father no mercy. They had tortured him, tried to pull from his broken battered body any information that they could under Sam's orders. They'd burned him, they'd made him witness his limbs being added to the flames until finally they had left his head for them all to find.

Edward was so enraged by what he saw in the taunting memories, and vitriol of Sam, being so smug about killing his father that he'd almost missed what had lingered there of the memory of that night. The phone call that had brought forth the meeting between the pack and his father, Carlisle had chosen to go to the pack to try and end this. As Sam had said, Carlisle had turned from him, the devastating reality that Edward underwent as he saw what Sam was so eagerly revealing to him now. Carlisle hadn't turned from him but once during the beginnings of this war between vampire and shifter, Carlisle had been the cause of the ambush that had taken Irina from the Denali clan. His father's blind hope in fixing the problems between them had fed information to Sam and the pack to lay that ambush in wait for the Denali's arrival.

" _He begged for death… Will you?"_ Sam roared back through his mind, knowing completely how Edward's talent worked now, information gained from his own mentor and father.

Edward had been taken off guard, so completely stunned to what he'd seen and heard through the thoughts of his enemy. Truly enraged and yet devastatingly heartbroken by the lengths his father had betrayed not only him, but them all. For all his desire to protect the lives of the pack, Carlisle while may not have intended to, had brought about the death and harm of so many he'd believed family.

Irina had died, Kate had been beheaded and almost destroyed, Eleazar forever left without an arm due to that confrontation. If the scales against his own father had not slumped so dangerously to the other side already his own death and selfish choice to go to the pack that night had brought about Esme's end. His choice had left Edward the one to have to end Esme's life, his very own mother, the woman who had comforted him countless times through this existence he'd viewed as a curse. When the torment had been nearly maddening, her gentle embrace and tender words had been a soothing balm to Edward's broken mind and doubted soul. Edward had taken her from this world, helped her pass because he loved her.

It had been Carlisle's fault.

It hadn't been the pack who killed Esme.

It hadn't even been truly his own fault, even though it had been by his hand.

The only person to blame for his mother's death was Carlisle.

Edward roared savagely as he met Sam's coming attack, the both of them crashing into each other strongly. Sam latching his teeth around Edward's shoulder and throat. Edward hissing around the pain of the teeth breaking through his skin, Sam doing all he could to latch in, and not release Edward. But Sam with his new knowledge was trying his best not to think of what he would do next directly. Trying to attempt a skill that had once taken Carlisle decades to be able to do simply to keep the most basic of thoughts from Edward. Sam was failing.

His paw slashed out, trying to move Edward beneath him to pin him, where Sam would be able to gain better leverage to tear into Edward's stubborn throat. Sam would not be allowed an easy victory, Edward caught hold of the moving paw, gripping the harsh claws and snapping them from off his hand as Sam's bite released with a mental and audible cry of pain, scampering back as Edward was thrown aside by Sam. Edward looked down to his hand, seeing the claws he'd snapped off and broken from Sam, he didn't wait for a second time to be taken off guard though.

Edward threw the claws aside as he drove his body into Sam's side as he tried to twist and dodge his attack. For so long the pack had always believed themselves faster than any cold one, and yet now they were seeing themselves slower and weaker. Edward delivered powerful blows to Sam, feeling his open palmed strikes break bone with each moment of impact, the feel of snapping ribs as he struck against the black wolfs side.

Edward could hear Sam demanding the remaining wolves still fighting his family to retreat, demanding for them to come help him, yet it only made them weaker. The alpha command could not be denied once given, and now the wolves were trying to make their way back to First Beach, even through the shared link he could see the ferocious hunting that his family took to once the pack started fleeing. Edward didn't believe they'd make it, not to save Sam, Edward knew he'd be long finished with the pack's Alpha before his brothers ever made it back, if his family didn't destroy them before that.

Sam lunged again at Edward as he spun swiftly, then back flipping away, using the force of his moving legs to kick under Sam's chin sending him spiralling. Edward enjoyed every moment of the stunned confusion of Sam; Edward was playing with him, taunting him, breaking his bones and allowing them to heal so he could break them again.

Sam had enjoyed the thrill of killing Carlisle, and while Edward would always hold a dark hate for what had become of Carlisle, a man he believed so noble and good he was still his father. Edward loved Carlisle even though that love had become soured and caused them to turn on one another. Sam would die for killing Carlisle even if Carlisle didn't deserve Edward's loyalty to him. This fight wasn't for Carlisle's death, it was for all those who had been harmed in his family, it was for Irina and Tanya, Peter and Charlotte, and it was for Esme and his Bella. It was for himself, whom the pack may have changed more than anything else other then the love of his mate.

There was no hint of surrendering in Sam, his mind completely gone from any technique; he'd drummed into all the wolves never to fight a vampire alone. Especially after he'd seen the outcome of what had happened to Jake, Paul and Embry, he'd allowed his emotions to get the better of him now though, and Edward could see Sam would never be able to stop wanting to kill him. That the Sam he'd pitied and believed capable of leading his pack before all this had unfolded was not the same man, the death of Leah, the complications of learning that Emily didn't want him, had sent him over the edge. Sam was a man with nothing except his hatred, and Edward knew he'd been the one to create that with his own choices. Sam continued to swipe with his one decent paw, trying to slash at Edward's skin, but now weakening, exhaustion taking over, still so very mortal, the bones taking even longer to mend with each break it endured.

"You're finished… Already… I had hoped for better." Edward snarled, as he slowly moved to Sam, his body had finally slumped to the ground and shifted back to human. The large male was covered in welts and thick gruesome cuts that scattered his naked body, his hand twisted and mangled from it being crushed under Edward's strength. Edward moved to Sam, grasping the large man around his throat and lifting him clear into the air, holding him dangling there like he was nothing but a broken toy.

"Please show mercy." Joshua called out, his once swollen face all but healed now as he reached towards Edward, two men trying to hold Joshua back.

"You don't have to kill him Edward. You've won, this is over, please he's my son!" Joshua begged for his son's life, and yet Edward could see into Joshua's mind he already knew that Sam would never allow this to be over, and Edward felt no reason to give this man anything. Joshua had not helped aid in his father's destruction, but he'd stood silently, watching every torturous moment, and now he pleaded for mercy of his son.

"Did he show mercy to my father? You wish to save him all while you know if I released him he'd hunt me and my family, he has nothing but my death to live for. Make the choice for me Joshua, your son…" Edward growled lowly, presenting Sam to his father. Sam, even though he was broken and bloody struggled and spat against Edward's vice like grip around his throat dangling there like a savage animal.

"... or the pack." Edward pointed back to the children that had not wanted to fight and the few men who had refused to shift and help destroy his family. Edward had wanted to completely massacre every single wolf and make sure they were never to pass on this gene that lingered in the blood of the Quileute. They saw him as a monster, but even now Edward saw he had lines he would not cross. These little boys were not his enemy, as they stood scared but brave, not only against him but how they'd stood against Sam refusing to fight.

It would be Joshua's choice, he already knew which choice Joshua would make; his father had wanted to save the pack. He'd not been able to do so, but Joshua a man who hated what his people had become, was able to change the next generation. Edward hated that he knew he'd not be able to kill them. Even then as he looked at each of the children standing there and Joshua he wanted to end them all but he couldn't, he would not be able to live with the death of so many children on his hands. They were no more than human in his eyes; he could barely view them as the shifters that had caused him so much pain.

"He's my son..." Joshua said weakly, and all while Edward could see the choice that he knew Joshua would make, everything he'd learnt of Sam and the men he'd seen as friends and family. The people they'd all hurt, the people of the tribe that they'd killed and then hidden to not own the shame of what they had done. Sam started to laugh roughly in Edward's hold as Joshua turned away, unable to watch but casting his choice clearly to all around, as Edward turned the laughing once Alpha to look him in the eyes.

"A...alwa...ways have a... plan B-b-b." Sam laughed, and stuttered weakly through his lips as Edward looked at him disgusted with the mental state of this broken man. Edward jerked his hand with a quick flick of his ruined hand and snapped the neck of Sam, watching as blackness began to swallow around Sam's mind. Only the image of a human female filling Sam's mind, even in his last moment of life he felt no sense of defeat and Edward could feel the chill run down his very spine as the blurred image took on that of someone he knew. As Sam's last image in his dying mind was of his mate, Bella.

"Edward!" Alice screamed, Edward turning quickly from looking at the dead body at his feet of Sam, seeing his sister's hysterical frantic thoughts as she broke through into the clearing area of First Beach.

"Alice what is it?" Edward turned to her, moving to her as she tried to calm her own mind, but was finding herself unable to, she'd found the vision came to her the moment the fighting had ended. The second she'd killed the last wolf as the family had began to start placing the fallen into the flames under Jasper's orders she'd seen a vision. Blurred with blackness around the edges but she'd seen. Edward watched the vision now as he found Bella laying on the ground, the vision centred on her face slowly, moving out and away, her eyes glazed, red pooling all around her, blood seeping out from her body, she was dying, she was alone.

"Go Edward!" Alice cried as her brother moved, all but vanishing from sight, the sound of his echoing cry of anger ringing out much like a wolfs howl, as he sprinted towards his mate, Alice prayed he was fast enough, Bella didn't have much time. Edward ran like he'd never ran before, he'd won the war against his enemy but it would mean nothing if he was to lose her now. Forever had been within his grasp; he wasn't about to surrender it to whoever had dared try to take her from him.


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N Hey everyone, it's been much longer then I had hoped when getting this update to you but I've finally got it finished and edited and the wait is finally over. I should be able to get back to a more regular posting schedule and I can certainly say that I don't plan on being absent for so long again. You've all been wonderfully patient and I've been happy with all the support you guys have shown while I tried to get back into the swing of things after I stopped writing during the holidays. I'd like to give a special shout out to _Readicted_ who willingly let me chew her ear off with the ideas that I've been playing around with for this chapter for some time now.**

 **As Always massive thank you to my Beta, RDoster2012.**

 **BETA READER: RDoster2012**

 **Enjoy :)**

 **RED DAWN**

 **SUMMARY:** Edward had always warned Bella that the pack was dangerous. They are hostile, volatile, and aggressive by nature. She ignored him, testing even Edward's vampire instinct, by staying friends with his enemy, Jacob. One event will change them all. Bella never truly understood the supernatural world; she didn't understand the aggression that lay dormant even in her controlled mate until it was too late. WARNING: Violence and Character Death.

 **Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the Characters.**

 _Previously..._

" _Edward!" Alice screamed, Edward turning quickly from looking at the dead body at his feet of Sam, seeing his sister's hysterical frantic thoughts as she broke through into the clearing area of First Beach._

" _Alice what is it?" Edward turned to her, moving to her as she tried to calm her own mind, but was finding herself unable to, she'd found the vision came to her the moment the fighting had ended. The second she'd killed the last wolf as the family had began to start placing the fallen into the flames under Jasper's orders she'd seen a vision. Blurred with blackness around the edges but she'd seen. Edward watched the vision now as he found Bella laying on the ground, the vision centred on her face slowly, moving out and away, her eyes glazed, red pooling all around her, blood seeping out from her body, she was dying, she was alone._

" _Go Edward!" Alice cried as her brother moved, all but vanishing from sight, the sound of his echoing cry of anger ringing out much like a wolfs howl, as he sprinted towards his mate, Alice prayed he was fast enough, Bella didn't have much time. Edward ran like he'd never ran before, he'd won the war against his enemy but it would mean nothing if he was to lose her now. Forever had been within his grasp; he wasn't about to surrender it to whoever had dared try to take her from him._

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty-Eight**

Bella hadn't even tried to hold back the tears that had finally passed from her own control once she'd rushed into her home. Not even Charlie calling out had halted her. Bella knew that she needed a moment to try and somehow gather herself; she knew she would have to speak with Charlie, but right now she was in no frame of mind to try and do so.

She made a weak and feeble attempt of trying to appease Charlie's concern as he called out to her, by saying that she needed to shower. She doubted that it would do all that much to quell his concern for her. But his calling out stopped quickly after she turned on the shower, and then she used the sound of falling water to muffle her crying against her hands. She felt weak sitting here alone in her bathroom, hiding from Charlie, as the tears seemed to endlessly trickle down her cheeks.

She'd done so well, not letting the dam burst in front of Edward, and while she'd managed to do that, she didn't want to fall apart in front of him, couldn't add to his already heavy emotional burden. While the danger was real, the threat that he was going up against could ruin everything they hoped for. She had to have more faith in him. Then there was always that awful nagging in her mind that the people he was fighting were once her friends. Then the quick memory of Esme flashed in her mind and how broken she had become at what the pack had done to Carlisle.

The hardened resolve that this was the right course of action once again returning, though as she breathed in evenly, trying to calm her breathing as the tears stopped and her hiccupping faded. This was the end game, Edward was her only choice, even though it had never really been a matter of a choice. Her life was tied completely to Edward with the unbreakable bond of being mated to him. Their bond was stronger now then she could even imagine possible. Those intimate, beautiful moments they had shared, completely open and vulnerable to one another had been all she'd dreamed and fantasised about. She understood now what she'd once been too naive to see. That the love she had for that man was nothing human or normal; it was magical, it was eternal. Any guilt she'd feel for the deaths that would need to come to keep him and her alive would fade, they'd have to adjust as the world had completely faded around them when they were tied together whole and complete.

Bella took the time to shower, trying her best not to think about what Edward and her family were doing in that moment, but all her attempts failed her, as that was the only thing she could think of. Bella gave herself at least the time to appear normal for Charlie. Another story of deceit, more lies that he'd need to be told, and have to believe to keep him safe from the threats that were part of being in her world. Bella changed slowly, trying her best to eat up as much time as she could as she pulled on her shirt and jeans. The rain still pouring heavily outside her bedroom window and she knew she'd wasted as much time as she could, that she'd have to face Charlie.

Bella couldn't help but smile as she saw Charlie before he ever noticed she'd walked into the room, watching the game intently with a beer at his side. She was glad that Charlie was able to enjoy his simple life; she knew that she'd disrupted his bachelor lifestyle when she'd moved here. Before she'd moved to Forks he only had to worry about being chief and the little crime he dealt with in Forks and if the fish would bite when he'd go fishing.

Bella doubted Charlie had ever expected to worry about boys, and teenage girl drama; as she was sure he'd likely called it many times while speaking with the guys at the station. He'd done his best though, and she knew he loved her, while he'd always been less willing to be open about that, the recent weeks had shown another side to Charlie.

He was less gruff, and more open, and even more forgiving of past mistakes. His complete change of opinion in Edward had meant everything to her. Especially now, knowing he'd been okay with her accepting Edward's engagement, that he'd given Edward his blessing as a sign of his shift in feelings of Edward and the relationship Bella and he shared.

Bella watched him silently; she took in his appearance, memorizing the way he looked. She silently wished him all the happiness in the world. She knew it was going to break his heart when she had to fake her death. She also knew it was going to hurt him more than anything had hurt him before, other than losing Renee. She could only wish that he would see all the good that happened in her short life. That she had found love and had been happy. She could then wish that Charlie would somehow find the same; that he wouldn't let himself be alone once she was gone. She couldn't bear the thought of him being alone again.

Charlie turned then to see Bella watching him strangely, his grin was slightly bemused as he jerked his head towards her as he shifted slightly on the couch.

"Come join me Bells, feels like I haven't seen you for days." Charlie said, as Bella moved from her position in the doorway towards the couch, and moving to sit beside Charlie. Her eyes fixing on the television, Charlie was watching the baseball highlights from tonight's game. She'd never been very good at talking about sports with Charlie, though he'd not been much of a talker even when he had friends over. Edward had tried in the past, but stopped soon after he'd seen that Charlie preferred enjoying the game in silence.

"It was only the other day dad. Things have been pretty busy at the Cullen's house with family visiting and leaving." Bella said simply, not wanting to divulge too much into what was exactly happening at the Cullen house.

Not wanting to let her mind drift, and letting Charlie see that something was wrong, for all his non hovering and not forcing an issue Charlie was perceptive, he wasn't chief of police for no reason. Even if he'd been blind to some of the crazy things that had surrounded his daughter since she moved to live with him in Forks.

"Yeah I was surprised to hear that Carlisle and Esme had gone on vacation. One of my deputies is dating a nurse at the hospital, and she seemed pretty surprised when he'd signed for an extended leave. Are the Cullen's moving again?" Charlie said curiously, though it wasn't nearly the touchy subject it might have been. Neither Charlie nor Bella would ever easily forget what had come about when the Cullen family had left Forks the last time.

Though Charlie was comfortable enough to know now where he stood with Bella and Edward, he didn't doubt for a second that Edward was sticking around, he wasn't so sure Bella would be sticking around Forks for much longer. It had been something playing on his mind ever since he'd gave his blessing to Edward, though he always expected Bella to move away eventually, Forks was too small. Bella was always bigger then Forks.

Bella did her best to cover her own reaction to the mention of Carlisle and Esme leaving Forks, it had all been very fortunate that Carlisle had taken his leave of absence before the night he'd gone to meet with the pack. Fortunate that only Jasper had needed to tie away only a few certain loose ends, so that the rest of the family weren't stuck in a situation explaining the sudden disappearances of their parents. Bella knew that none of her family would have been ready for dealing with that situation, that even now they wouldn't be ready.

The deaths far too recent, and still affecting them all. After all, it had been the final nail in Edward's ability; to hold back his own need for vengeance against the pack once he had to help Esme pass from this life. Bella had done all she could to give Edward someone to be completely open with and honest in his pain, though she knew her fiancée well enough to know that his pain was nowhere near soothed completely. He was using his anger well to control himself and not let himself fall apart, she worried what would become of him once all their enemies were defeated and he had to finally face everything that had happened.

"They've wanted to get away for some time. Edward's aunt and uncle have stayed around until... well until we were going to join them. I guess this leads in to what I wanted to talk to you about actually." Bella tried to make it seem as genuine and honest as she could, Charlie not even for a moment becoming suspicious as he turned his attention more to Bella then his game, his finger flicking down on the volume as he turned to his daughter.

"What was that then Bells?" Charlie asked, though from his face Bella could tell that he seemed almost expectant of what she was about to say. It was often in times when she was speaking to people she couldn't help but see how useful Edward's gift would be. Knowing someone's mind; it would be so easy to direct any conversation in the direction that would never cause any conflict, he'd often been the families spokesperson when dealing with humans, even before they'd started viewing him as the leader of the family as he was now.

"Edward's aunt and uncle have invited Edward and I to join them when they travel to their home in Spain." Bella said slowly, using half truths in what she said as best not to need to lie. She knew enough about Eleazar and Carmen that both were originally Spanish and enjoyed still visiting their once human homeland. Edward had also mentioned telling Charlie that they would be going to Europe; she hated lying and had always felt she wasn't a very efficient one either. She knew Charlie wouldn't feel comfortable with just her and Edward going alone.

"It's short notice, and I know you might not feel comfortable, but they already purchased tickets. They wanted to show us around some locations, Alice has really been pushing for a destination wedding and I didn't want to come across ungrateful when they offered showing me their villa where we could host." Bella rushed out, her cheeks heating under Charlie's gaze, his eyebrows had arched slightly under what Bella was saying and when she'd seen the twitch of his moustache she'd known that didn't exactly mean anything good either.

"We'd have to leave in the next few days. I'm really sorry dad, I should have spoken to you before I agreed, I didn't want to upset Edward's family and I didn't want to say no either." Bella said, chewing her lip, nervous of Charlie's silence and yet hating that she felt like she was blurting out complete rubbish, she only hoped he didn't think she was lying. She'd told Edward she could handle this, but he would have been so much better at it. Bella knew that had she needed to explain this to Renee it would have been so much easier, her mother would have heard the words Spain and villa even destination wedding and wouldn't have needed any more convincing of why it would be okay for her to go.

"Spain you said? Didn't realise that the Cullen's had family out that way, I thought they were from Alaska before they moved to Forks?" Charlie finally broke his silence, his expression hadn't changed, though Bella could see a hint of unease about Charlie's features like he wasn't completely comfortable, but was humouring her none the less.

"Well Carmen and Eleazar are originally from Spain, they live in Alaska but still have a home there, we wouldn't be alone. Alice and Jasper will be going so will Edward's cousins. Emmet and Rose might join once they finish with classes in Seattle." Bella said quickly, more lies to cover everything, as far as Charlie was aware, Emmet and Rosalie were living in Seattle, though they'd been home due to the accident. Most of Forks had assumed Emmet and Rose hadn't been back since graduation, the two had kept themselves hidden from most of Forks. Bella had wondered if that had added to Rose's resentment at first; the fact she'd been made to spend so much time hidden away to help continue the lie so that they could return to Forks and Edward could be with her.

"I guess that's okay then." Charlie didn't meet Bella's gaze then, he was unaware as her heated cheeks slacked as she looked at him surprised that he had agreed. Bella hadn't believed for a second that Charlie would have taken this news so easily, she'd expected to have to talk to him, even persuade him to come around to the idea. The fact alone that he agreed without much even being spoken about it was almost strange, she knew he'd been more trusting of her and Edward, but to be so okay with her going away with his family was astounding.

This wasn't the same Charlie that had been all but furious and willing to lock her away when he'd believed she'd ran off with Alice to go and see Edward. He'd of course never known the truth, that she'd ran to Italy to stop Edward's attempt to be destroyed, believing her dead; but he'd been absolutely livid in his anger. Though Charlie had directed his anger more at Edward even though it had been Bella who had ran off without anything more than a note. That hadn't really explained anything at all to where she was going and how long she'd be gone for.

"Edward's family have done good by you. By me too, during your time in the hospital they were there every day. Hell, even this Carmen and Eleazar dropped everything to come here and be with the family to make sure you were okay. I thought it was strange at first, but then I got to see how the Cullen's were and it made sense, they stick together, and they're a real family. Your mom and I never really got to give you that, I'm happy that you have it now with Edward and his family. It's the extravagant gifts that makes me a little uncomfortable, when they do that without me helping out in some way but... they're your family now too Bells." Charlie said, and yet he didn't make eye contact as he spoke.

He wasn't about to explain to Bella his deep feelings of needing to say no; that he hated the thought of them spending the kind of money they did on his own daughter when he couldn't do that himself. It was something he'd have to speak to Carlisle and Esme about when they returned from their vacation. Though he was starting to think perhaps the Cullen family wouldn't be returning.

It felt like they were getting ready to move, like they had last time and he knew this time the difference would be that Bella wouldn't be left behind. He was happy for her, even if it broke his heart that he was going to have to say goodbye to his daughter. She'd grown up without him for part of her life. Moving to Forks, she'd already been pretty much an adult; mature beyond her years that had likely come from Renee. He'd not known how to interact with her, she was this woman who knew her own mind and choices even if it sent him up the wall, he was starting to let go of the image of his pig tailed little girl with her front teeth missing and see her as the woman he'd soon enough be giving away to his future son in law.

All fathers have to give their daughters away eventually, it was part of life, and he knew that. He'd just never expected it to hit him as hard as it was; he had a lifetime of regrets. Regrets that still to this day kept him up at night asking those questions, what if he'd just left Forks, what if he'd followed Renee and convinced her he wasn't just a small town cop, what if he'd not allowed himself to become a part time father that slowly became a stranger to his own child. As long as Bella was happy though he'd be able to get past it. Forks was his home, he wasn't blind to the fact that it had never been Bella's. She'd found her home in a family he envied and respected. She'd be well taken care of, he knew that without a shadow of a doubt.

Edward had certainly started to wear down on his once tightly held animosity of him; he wasn't a bad kid after all. He'd only proved himself time and again since that night they'd both been faced with Bella injured in the hospital. Even when he'd known there was some type of tension between both Bella and Edward during the end of her stay in hospital he'd seen how unwilling Edward was to be away from her. He'd seen the young man and how his family seemed to turn to him and surround him during those few moments and he'd understood that Edward was no typical teenager. Just like his own daughter the handsome youth was an old soul and Charlie had been able to understand why the two seemed to grow so serious at such a young age. Charlie didn't believe for a second that the two of them were repeating the same tale that his own life had once taken; he felt in his own stomach that neither Edward nor Bella underestimated what they felt for one another any longer. Not like he had for Renee when he'd been the same age as them both.

"You're still my family too dad." Bella felt her throat tighten a little at Charlie's words, struggling to contain herself; she could see in his usually non-emotional face the lingering of sadness there. A sadness that she very rarely allowed herself to dwell on selfishly, she knew that Charlie regretted not being part of her life in the way most fathers were. Bella also knew that her own choices hadn't made it easier for Charlie, for all the things she'd gained from moving to Forks she had to believe that building a stronger relationship between herself and her father was something she'd never realised she'd secretly yearned for. It was what made it equally harder now knowing that she'd built this stronger foundation between her father and herself and knowing that she'd now make the ultimate choice to hurt him when she moved on to the path she'd chosen with Edward.

"I know that Bells. Our family is just getting a little bigger I guess. I've always liked the Cullen's. There were our issues about... well you know. They've always been a good close family, maybe it's something we can work at once you get back from Spain. Maybe it would be nice to get to know Edward better, I could ask him to come fishing with me. You could come too Bells, I know you aren't much for it but we could make a day of it. Even invite the rest of the Cullen's. I know they're all pretty much outdoors people with all the camping they do." Charlie offered as Bella nodded weakly, she doubted that there would ever come a time after this night that the family would ever want to come back to Forks.

She knew that they had made the choice to change her soon, she'd have to let go of all her human ties to do that, she'd suffer silently now though to give Charlie the belief that there would be days like he was describing. Even though she knew they'd never come to be. The very thought in the past would have made her react badly for the potential conflict it would have caused, now she wished she could allow just one of those days. Not only for herself but for Charlie too, for Edward also, she'd known for so long now that Edward had secretly wanted Charlie's approval.

Bella had shifted on the sofa as she'd gone to reply when an eerily familiar sound echoed; the power behind the sound was enough to make her jump, startled. It had sounded almost like the clap of thunder, had it not drawn out just a little longer then she'd have expected. It echoed in that strange melodically way, that thunder did in Forks. Something she'd never heard before until she'd moved here, her wide eyes turning to Charlie as he laughed slightly under his breath, as he caught Bella's reaction to the thunder that had all but rocked the house.

"Seems the clouds, have really opened up out there. I didn't think we'd be seeing any lightning, but you know how it is. Guess the storm is going to last a little longer than expected." Charlie looked towards the window where the rain still poured against the glass steadily, the sound seemed far away from what he could tell, so he assumed the storm clouds just hadn't made its way to Forks just yet.

Bella had been unable to reply to Charlie's statement though, her hand gripping almost painfully tight to the arm rest, the churning of something wrong settling even more so over her. Memories of a time so long ago coming to her when she'd first been taken by Edward to witness the spectacle of his family playing baseball before James and his coven discovered them in the clearing.

" _We can only play during storms. It's easier to explain away... well you'll see soon enough."_

She could still remember his crooked smile, the world she was now completely part of had still been more mystery to her then. Both had been naive and innocent. Seeing for that first time, him and his family simply be what they were. Free of conflict and just enjoying themselves with one another. The loud clap as they'd swung and struck the ball Alice had pitched, but Bella had barely even noticed it move from her hand, they'd used the storms to cover the collision of impact they could create.

Bella couldn't help the nausea that crawled over her entire body at the thought that the sound she'd heard had been from the fight. The images that were created in her mind did little to help her breathing from escalating, her fingers only digging deeper into the cushioned surface of the sofa. The thought of the large wolves bearing down on her family and on her friends, thinking of small Alice with a sea of wolves closing in on her.

Her battle scarred brother in Jasper battling with all his experience and not being able to fight the sheer size and numbers. Emmet while strong just not fast enough to out run the chasing wolves that had him cornered. Image and face after face clouded her mind as she saw each of her family facing the numbers she'd feared but not vocalised, had been one of her biggest fears, the image that struck her cruelly with the most damage was of Edward. The thought of him amongst the bodies' twitching and broken on the battlefield, his grief and rage becoming too much for him to control and his own gift turning on him.

Seeing Edward losing all the confidence that they had tried to create in him; seeing him become weaker under the strain and the loss of his family. Bella found herself almost screech out at the sound of the hallway phone ring, scaring poor Charlie out from the seat at the sound of her scream that had both of them clutching their own chests.

"Jesus Bella. What's wrong? It's just the phone; I never had you pegged as the jumpy type around thunder. It's never seemed to bother you in the past." Charlie looked over at Bella and could see something was clearly bothering her, he'd seen her at her very worst and was concerned by the strange look that had casted over her usually bright brown eyes.

"I'm sorry... I was miles away. It just surprised me; I didn't mean to make you jump. Sorry dad." Bella said, uncomfortably trying to move past her reaction to the sound of thunder, trying to take her mind away from the fighting that she had no doubt was taking place upon the blurred lines of two opposing forces.

She couldn't believe them defeated already, she'd seen her family strengthen even in spite of so much that would have broken weaker beings; Edward wouldn't let his emotions break him. Not when he knew that what they both dreamed of was at stake, he'd not endured hours of torture at the hands of their loved ones to hold back his gift while enduring pain and overwhelming emotions to fall apart when everyone needed him most. She had to believe that this would be the end of her human life. That this final obstacle was all that remained before she would leave Forks and become his equal. This would be the last time she'd have to send him off to fight for them without being by his side; all enemies in the future would forever have to face them both.

"As long as you're okay Bella. Damn near gave me a heart attack!" Charlie looked over Bella once more, appearing reluctant to leave her alone, picking up on the subtle things that didn't seem to add up.

That all too familiar unease washing over him as if he was looking at a puzzle but not all the pieces were there. He'd always prided himself on being a good cop and seeing the bigger picture. He'd been questioning that of late, as friends and loved ones seemed to all but become different people over night. He understood how grief could do things to people but something much more was going on in his sleepy town, he was relieved that Bella was getting away with Edward for a while, he didn't want either of them finding themselves in any more harm then what had befallen them already.

"I'm fine dad. Nothing to worry about at all." Bella tried her best to reassure Charlie as he looked at her oddly; like he was about to see all the lies and half-truths she'd been feeding him.

She imagined this was how he'd look while at work. Whatever Charlie saw he didn't seem to question it for long as he accepted her response, and moved into the hallway to answer the phone that still rang without pause. Allowing Bella to finally lean forward and try and calm her breathing as she brought her hand to her mouth to muffle the hitching and the dry heave of nausea she tried to suppress. She was working herself up and that would do no one any favours.

She had to be stronger.

Bella sat anxiously waiting for Charlie to return from the phone call, she could barely understand the mumbled conversation from the hallway; the television was still on, and going over the statistics of a player that Bella was sure Charlie didn't like. It was memories like that, ones of Charlie cursing names of players he didn't like, that she hoped she could cling on to through the change. Memories that were barely anything but meant so much to her, Charlie had always been passionate about sports and it was one of the few things that truly let him just be himself.

She knew Edward and her family would do all they could to ensure her memories didn't fade with the change, she knew Edward had endlessly taken in as many stories from not only her but also both her parents' memories to help her. He'd never wanted for her to lose the things that he'd lost through his transformation; Edward would do all he could to help her remember.

Bella's attention was brought back to the hallway as Charlie stepped forward into the living room wearing his police jacket and badge, clipping his belt around his waist. Bella stood quickly at the sight of him in his uniform; she'd expected him to have the day off, she had been grateful to the turn in events considering what she knew was happening. She'd wanted to keep Charlie as far away from any of the confrontation as Edward had wanted to keep her. Bella knew the dangers, though Charlie was blind to them, and she felt hysteria bubble in her at the sight of him getting ready to head out of the house.

"What's going on? I thought you were off today?" Bella blurted out quickly as she moved towards Charlie, he nodded and sighed a little, his face resigned but serious. He'd not been pleased to hear the news his deputy had delivered.

"There was a call into the station. Someone was heading out of town and saw smoke and fire, apparently they sent a squad car out to the scene and some kind of forest fire has started out there. I'm not sure, maybe the lightning struck a tree and it was dry enough to spread a fire in this wind. We're going to have to go out there and help contain it someway so no one finds themselves in any kind of danger. We'll call into the Port Angeles fire department for help to see what we can do, might be nothing at all with all this rain, it might go out before anyone needs to step in." Charlie explained, but even Bella could tell the usually honest Charlie Swan was lying to her.

Of course Charlie hadn't wanted to tell his daughter that the fire was serious, that phone calls from numerous people had claimed to see a sort of explosion along the highway towards La Push. Charlie wasn't sure what he was heading into, but his deputy had sounded worried. The fire was large, unlike anything they usually got around Forks with the wetter weather. The forests weren't normally dry enough for a forest fire to spread well. Charlie knew however if there had been some type of accident and an explosion that this may not be a natural fire. Calls had been made already for aid in containing the spreading of the large inferno.

"If the deputies are handling it, then why do they need you to go dad?" Bella said, reaching towards Charlie, and holding onto the sleeve of his jacket. Her fear becoming too much to hide from her father, she couldn't let Charlie leave, especially now while the idea of the fire that blazed in the forest made Bella understand what may be taking place.

He couldn't be near that, not if it was part of the fight, not if her family had been defeated, Bella knew she had to find a way to reach Carmen to find out if she knew anything. Bella knew however that Charlie couldn't be allowed to leave the house, the overwhelming need to keep him firmly locked behind the doors of his own home, was suffocating her, her throat seeming to tighten even more. The irrational fear that Charlie could not be allowed to get too close to the war that she knew was taking place around the flames, there was no doubt in her mind that those fires were part of the battle.

Her family's one greatest weakness.

"Bella it's serious, they'll need someone in charge. I need to help, it's my job Bells." Charlie said, but the concern in his tone clear, the urge to stay with Bella hovering at the edge of his mind. Never before had his job ever worried her and Bella's reaction to this was worrying him, and it made him even more reluctant to leave her while she seemed so on edge.

"Bella is something wrong? You're all over the place and your acting real strange, what's wrong Bells?" Charlie tried to understand what had shifted with his daughter, they'd been speaking about her travelling and family and she'd become upset since the thunder.

The sound that Charlie now understood wasn't thunder at all, and was likely an explosion, but that couldn't be the reason why Bella was acting strange now. The familiar nagging thought brought Charlie up short as he felt like he wasn't seeing everything, he felt like questioning it, like he was close to answers he hadn't before believed he'd been searching for.

"Just... Dad, I'm asking you to stay. I... I can't explain, but please. Just trust me." Bella said with an edge of pleading in her tone as Charlie looked at his daughter's fearful eyes and could see how serious she was, that something was dangerously unsettling about her fear of him leaving the house.

"Bella." Carmen's voice said urgently from behind her as she turned around, almost falling as Charlie reached forward to stop her, looking wide eyed at the strange woman who had seemed to materialise before his very eyes out of nowhere.

"Carmen. What is it? Oh god no… Edward?" Bella sobbed out Edward's name, taking Carmen's appearance as confirmation that something horrific had taken place. The open flames in the forest only giving more proof that something terrible had happened. Bella couldn't believe it though; she had to believe that if Edward were gone she'd feel it. That if he'd been lost, Bella wouldn't need someone to tell her; she'd just know. Bella wouldn't believe it because she knew that if Edward was gone then she wouldn't be here, she'd have already faded away because her very soul would have left her the moment Edward left this earth.

"I don't know Bella. I can't predict our family's fate but I need to get you and your father away. Members of the tribe have arrived and I have little time to get you as far from here as possible. I can't carry you both so you must come with me to the car." Carmen rushed as she moved towards Bella, taking claim of her hand as she started to pull her towards the door out of the house as Charlie snapped out of his confusion and reached for Bella's other arm, stopping Carmen from taking his daughter out of the house.

"Wait a damn second! What the hell is going on?" Charlie said gruffly, his patience already at its limit, he'd barely understood what the woman was saying even hearing it. He couldn't make sense of anything but he'd understood that Bella had almost broken down thinking she'd assumed something was wrong with Edward.

"Dad… I need you to trust me. Please, I know this is confusing, I've been acting strange and I'll explain that but you have to trust me now. Trust that this is for our safety. We need to go with Carmen dad, and then I can explain everything to you. I just need you to not fight me on this." Bella begged Charlie with her eyes to understand her, the hidden pleading in those chocolate eyes making Charlie truly understand that something beyond anything he could think was happening here. The building anxiety he'd been feeling of late seemed to have hit its complete height now though; he had to trust Bella now.

"You'll explain everything?" Charlie questioned.

"I promise dad, but right now, we have to go." Bella accepted that the reality where she'd be able to save Charlie the danger of knowing the truth was gone. He'd never accept any type of lie after this scene. She'd have to tell her father everything and then she didn't know where that would leave anyone. Once again though they would have to break the one rule that all of her family were forced to live by.

To never reveal the secret.

She didn't see any other alternative right now, she didn't know what the members of the tribe had planned for her and Charlie; but she'd seen how far they would go to hurt the Cullen's. She wouldn't let that happen now. It wasn't fear that filled her, of course she was scared, so much could happen. But what Bella felt more than any other emotion was anger at the members of the tribe. She knew she deserved just as much blame, and accusations being thrown at her for how this always-hostile agreement had been, without her trying to force them to accept one another.

Her father though, had no idea the supernatural ties that were woven into nearly all aspects of his life; they could hate her and feel she deserved some type of punishment alongside her family. But Charlie didn't deserve to be placed in this position, the fact they cared so little about Charlie's safety, only proved how far the pack had truly fallen from the men they had claimed to be when she'd first been able to get to know them. She didn't view them as protectors of human life anymore, how could she when she'd seen the truth behind the careful placed lies.

Carmen pushed the door open quickly, as already the three approaching males were walking down the driveway in only cut off shorts. Carmen didn't know them from any other member of the tribe; Bella and Charlie however knew them all. Seth Clearwater looking much older than his young age should have ever allowed, was flanked by even younger members of the original pack Bella had known.

Collin and Brady stood on either side of Seth, as they paused, seeing Carmen pulling both Bella and Charlie from the house. Seth briefly looked over his shoulder to his mother Sue, who nodded her head. It was all Carmen needed to know she had to react, however seeing the exchange between the shifters and the elder human woman still standing close to the truck they'd arrived in.

"Run Bella!" Carmen hissed before releasing Bella's wrist from her grip, her tone urgent and firm while Bella felt frozen with her father pressed close behind her back.

Carmen leapt from the porch of the house, all false pretence of being anything human completely gone, as she moved to ensure the pack didn't get close to either Bella or her father. Seth meeting her movement, and already leaping into the air as his clothing ripped from his body when he shifted, snarling loudly and bearing down on Carmen.

Carmen was wise enough to the initial attack to duck beneath the large mutt and carry on towards the two younger boys who had yet to make their own transformations. With an ingenious flick of her tongue over her fingernails, she spun and slashed her nails across Brady's throat, piercing the fragile mortal across his jugular.

The venom, while not enough to inject into his blood, quickly created untold pain towards Brady as he cried out hysterically as his hands tried to stop the flow of gushing blood from his severed jugular. What Carmen lacked in skill of battle she'd made up for quickly, these odds she knew would end with her destruction, she just had to give Bella enough of a chance to flee with her father.

Carmen turned to the second human male as his body twisted and exploded outwards during his transformation, driving her foot into the twisting limbs and sending it careening towards Sue and her truck. Seth leapt on Carmen that as she had turned her back to him and swiped along her back and side, her shriek of pain making Bella finally react.

"Charlie we need to go! Dad, please!" Bella rushed frantically all but shoving against her father's chest to get him to look to her. His fear filled eyes transfixed completely on the scene before him. His world of normal and law was fundamentally shifting, as every single story he'd heard whispered around bonfires since he was a boy hit him harshly. Spirit warriors, cold ones, the ancient tales of a people he'd always respected, myth and legend suddenly becoming fact and reality to Charlie.

"Oh shit!" Charlie wheezed out, struggling for breath, his complexion turning a ghostly white. He knew he was going into shock, but he didn't know how to deal with this.

He knew they were in danger, but he'd never known such things could ever exist, he'd been blind. He never even thought to ever think this would be his life, he'd wanted his daughter to live with him, he'd been happy to bring her to Forks. While under his own nose monsters had been lurking. Monsters who had worn the disguise of friends his entire life, there was one thought though that lingered harshly in the back of his mind. A thought that was hidden behind the shock, trying to allow his mind to process what he was seeing but his eyes couldn't look away from the claws on the creature that had taken Seth's place. Claws, and then the images of the scars on his daughters face, Charlie had been naive and blind for years but it was hitting him suddenly and he was starting to understand.

"Dad we need to go!" Bella tugged at Charlie's sleeve, her eyes turning back to Carmen, the idea of leaving her alone was making her feel sick to her stomach.

She wasn't sure if Carmen would be able to fight back both Seth and Collin, the thought that Edward was still out there and alive made up her mind. She knew she was too fragile, she also knew that should they get her, Edward would be defeated. Any fight he'd have in him would leave him if she allowed herself to be hurt or captured by the enemy. He'd give them anything they wanted, even his life if it meant her safety, she had to run.

Carmen was struggling as Collin snapped at her already crumbling side; they'd targeted her left side since the strike she'd taken from Seth had already caused severe damage, they were hacking away at her marble like body. She feigned favouring her stronger side as Seth latched his jaw around her left shoulder, Collin moving in to take claim of her body.

She was losing, and she knew once both wolves had her in their vice like mouths she'd be ripped to ruins, and Carmen was just faintly aware of two heartbeats she had to protect. As Collin growled, parting his ferocious mouth, Carmen spat towards his mouth, taking all of them by surprise. She'd seen the mess of the female shifter at Edward's bite and knew the venom was lethal as the third boy already lay dying in the street.

Collin whimpered, recoiling back, as Seth snapped his jaw tightly and severed the arm in his hold. Collin, still in his wolf form was retching violently and shaking as if he was being sick. Carmen tried to move away to escape, and take advantage of the shared link, while she was blind to the shared pain she'd heard Edward speak of; she knew pain normally caused hesitation in these creatures.

Seth was not distracted though, already moving to attack Carmen again. Abandoning the young Collin to his torturous end, his mind becoming silent finally, only his own thoughts were there. No longer linked to his brothers and his other pack; a lone wolf given one task. One that he had pleaded for so he could beat the man who had taken his sister, Seth had changed from a young boy to a man, one strong willed enough through Old Quill and Billy's teachings to part from his pack to carry the task of capturing both Charlie and Bella.

Collin shifted back to human as he violently vomited, choking on the poison that had been released into him. His fingers gouging deep scratches along his once smooth boyish skin. He was trying to claw away at the untold pain he was suffering through, as if he'd drank bleach and acid, there was no reprieve from it though as blood soaked into his vomit. Thick white foam seeming to leak from his eyes and nose as he choked to death, his fingers bloody from trying to claw into his fifteen year old flesh.

Seth forced Carmen to the ground, claws and teeth sinking into her stubborn flesh, her side crumbling further as she weakly fought back with her remaining arm. Seth latching his jaw around the second arm and removing it, discarding the limb into the tree line and latching onto her body and shaking it savagely. Snapping his formidable teeth around her lower half until her crumbling body fell away into two pieces, releasing her waist and legs before him as Seth finally changed back to human form.

"Stop Charlie!" Sue called out, as Charlie pushed Bella behind him, his eyes still completely focussed on the pieces of the woman twitching, the sounds of pain sounding inhuman as the creature loomed over her. He didn't know how to protect his daughter but he had to get her as far from all these things as he could. Not even Sue, someone he'd trusted, even thought he might love, would stop him, she'd lied to him. How could he trust her when they'd come to his home and done these things, even Bella his daughter wanted to run and he trusted her even though he was realising she had lied too.

"Go Bella. Get in the car and go!" Charlie demanded, as he felt his hand move to his waist, his issued firearm had been at his waist for longer than Bella had been alive. He'd only ever had to fire it once in his entire career as an officer of the law, he felt no hesitation though as he pulled the gun from his holster and aimed it towards the large grey wolf looking towards him and his daughter.

"I won't leave you dad. Not here alone, we need to leave please." Bella begged, her eyes not knowing where to look as someone she cared for lay in pieces, and her father pulled a gun on the son of the woman he cared about. She wasn't even sure if the gun would do any actual harm, that Seth wouldn't be able to heal from or brush off anyway, she knew they were still mortal in most regards but they healed.

"Charlie you will not shoot my son!" Sue said defiantly, the wolf shifting back as Seth stood there between them all, his eyes fixed only on Charlie as he had the gun aimed towards him. Seth daringly stepping forward, closing the space between himself and Charlie, the aim Charlie had positioned at Seth slightly shaking seeing the young man he'd known since birth looking nothing like he'd remembered him. People he'd believed he'd known all his life had never been who they'd swore to be, he wasn't even sure he knew Bella but she was his daughter. He'd protect her even if that meant with his very life.

"Seth you're going to get on the ground now. I'm going to take you in, I don't know what the hell any of this is but you aren't coming near my daughter. Either of you!" Charlie said firmly, even if his tone sounded weaker, his grip that was shaking steadied out as he stepped forward, pushing Bella towards the direction of his cruiser; his eyes demanding she go. All of them paused at the sound of a gun cocking loudly, as Charlie turned to see Sue now holding Harry Clearwater's old hunting rifle in her small grip, and the gun loaded and directed towards Bella.

"I didn't want this Charlie. I didn't want any of this! They wanted this war, her fiancée; he won't stop until he takes everything from me Charlie, so I have to make sure I have her with me. It's the only way any of us will survive. Drop your gun Charlie and bring your daughter with me to La Push, if you understood, if you only knew who they were you'd never want her with him." Sue said hysterically, her eyes wild and posture shaking, Charlie's stance becoming completely locked as he watched Bella frozen at the end of the barrels aim.

"Dad don't listen to her. I can't go with them Dad, if she takes me they'll hurt Edward; they'll hurt his family. Use me against him..." Bella looked between Sue and her father, the awful feeling that she needed to flee becoming overwhelming, even though she knew she couldn't leave Charlie here in danger.

She didn't know what was happening in La Push, didn't know if her family were already defeated but she knew if Sue and Seth had her Edward would be defeated. She didn't trust any of the pack any longer, she knew now that they'd likely harm her even kill her just to destroy Edward. She could see that from the look in Seth's eyes, once an innocent and kind teenager now looked cold and full of hatred as he still glared down at Charlie.

"He killed my little girl Charlie. Edward, the boy you're allowing her to marry… he's a monster. The real monster here, he took my daughter from me. He'd take my son too, the only way that I can keep my family safe is by bringing you both to La Push, Charlie" Bella felt sick, she could see the distrust and confusion in her father, he didn't know who to believe, and she could see him struggling as he learned of Leah's death. His eyes asking questions Bella didn't have the time to explain to him, the urgent need to defend Edward for his killing Leah something that she knew may turn her father's decision. His aim was again wavering on Seth's chest now as he looked between each face, slowly looking from Sue and Seth and finally looking to Bella.

Charlie was looking at the pieces of the woman on the ground, an arm twitching violently as her torso seemed to be trying to roll towards it. Thick slashes of claw marks covering her, claw marks he'd seen before on a young girl in La Push after a fatal animal attack. He'd remembered seeing Emily days after the attack, how Harry had been so against sending his niece to the hospital so they could take care of her wounds.

The prejudice against the Cullen's, he'd known it had something to do with them even then, when he'd not understood completely what was going on. Charlie's stomach knotted with nausea as the face of Emily in his mind changed to his daughter. Seeing her in the hospital bed with thick stitching and bandages over her face and body, Edward close to her bed side tormented, and affectionate towards his little girl.

The same marks on Bella as were on Emily, knowing that Bella had been with Jake the night she'd been hurt and Edward had been the one to find her. The same animal attack that harmed her also killed Jacob and Paul, it hadn't been the truth at all. Charlie knew he finally was starting to see all the truth and lies that had surrounded him. Comments made that he'd thought he'd heard wrong were making sense suddenly, the hostility surrounding both Jake and Edward, something more than just testosterone fuelled competitiveness for his daughter's affection.

He'd tried to force his daughter together with Jake, and now he knew it had to have been Jake who had hurt her. The still healing marks on his daughters face were all the evidence he needed. Knowing what the scars are now, understanding washed over Charlie as he realized that Jacob didn't die from an animal attack.

Charlie knowing now that Edward was like the woman laying in pieces, something more, something that scared the people of La Push. A cold one, and he had killed Jake; he had likely killed more to protect his daughter. To protect Bella from the members of the tribe that he'd thought cared about him. Charlie knew he'd been blind most of his life, he'd made more mistakes then he'd ever wish to admit to, but he would not let his daughter be placed in harm by people who were supposed to be his friends.

His aim shifted towards Sue.

Seth saw Charlie's aim begin to shift towards his mother and leapt to stop him by grabbing hold of his gun. Charlie was surprised by the sheer strength behind the smaller Seth. He refused to be beaten though, as he gripped at his gun tighter and tried to force it towards Seth's chest, both males fighting each other's grasp of the firearm.

Bella could do nothing as she pleaded with them to stop, even Sue watched on terrified as she begged her own son to stop. Charlie yelled to Bella to run but she found herself all but frozen in her spot beside her father's cruiser. Sue was yelling for Seth to stop as he growled out, and then an explosion of sound went off, followed by an even louder clanging that felt like it would have burst Bella's eardrums it was so loud.

Bella went completely numb as Charlie looked towards her, his eyes glazed, she was aware of the tear that slipped down her cheek as she felt pain rip through her stomach at the realisation that her father had been shot. Charlie in the end had just been unable to fight off even with his driven need to protect his daughter the strength of Seth's supernatural body. His croaked whisper of her name never reached her ears though as she reached to her stomach, where the gut wrenching pain was spreading, and finally looked down to see the crimson blood over her fingers and palm.

The feeling that her legs were suddenly knocked out from under her body as she staggered back and fell against her father's police cruiser, sliding down it as she coughed and spluttered. She could smell it then, the rusty salted scent of blood that usually made her feel sick, she could smell it and then felt the taste of blood in her very mouth as she could feel it working its way up her body.

"Mom… we need to go now!" Seth yelled in the background, as Bella could hear her heartbeat in her ears, everything seemed to be fading around her. She suddenly felt so tired, and she was barely aware of her father's body a few feet away from her, he had finally fallen completely still, his eyes still wide open looking up at the sky.

"I didn't mean to shoot! Oh god we killed them! We need to call..."

"We can't… we have to go now!"

"Seth she's just a girl. They weren't supposed to be hurt. We might still be able to help them Seth. Please we have to try!"

"It's over. I can't hear any heartbeats."

Bella knew he must have been lying, even though she found it impossible to open her eyes, she could still hear the loud thumping of her own heart in her ears. Even as she could feel the blackness swallowing her, she wanted to fight, she knew what would happen if she didn't fight. She was too weak though, she'd fail Edward and he'd suffer for her now, just like Carmen and Charlie.

Her father was dead, she knew that, and Bella knew that she'd soon follow because she couldn't feel the pain any longer. But she felt tired, more tired than ever before. She found herself praying, not for herself but for Edward then, apologising for not just running away and saving herself and him. She knew he wasn't dead but the moment she lost this battle he'd follow behind and it broke her heart that he'd suffer his worst nightmare. He might have won the war but she knew it would be meaningless to him if when he returned for her he found her dead.

" _I'm so sorry Edward."_ Bella's last thoughts were of the man she'd leave behind broken from her death, she hadn't been strong enough in the end. She hoped somehow he could hear her and know she loved him.

"We need to go back Seth." Sue sobbed into her trembling hands as Seth pulled away from the Swan's home, both members of the family laying bleeding out into the ground. Seth felt justice in this though; he knew his mother had not wanted them to be harmed. He'd wanted to punish Edward though, the leech had taken his sister, had likely taken more lives if he survived the fire. Sue had no idea about the true plan for Bella and Charlie once Sam had them both in La Push.

How both Billy and Old Quill had put together the plans to capture them both to help Sam gain leverage over Edward. They'd wanted to break him, Charlie would have been collateral damage in the end, and while none of them would have taken pleasure in it he'd have never accepted his daughter's death. Seth knew that the council would be angry with him for not getting Bella to La Push to be used correctly. They'd entrusted him to split from the pack and do this alone because of his determination to avenge his fallen sister.

"They're already dead mom." Seth shouted angrily as he sped away from the home, even then he could still faintly hear Bella's heart beating away, though steadily weakening. He'd not had a chance to burn the remains of the vampire, but if it could do anything it would have likely finished Bella off with how much blood she was losing.

"I killed her. I... I..." Sue cried into her hands shaking her head frantically, "I was there when she was born. Charlie was so happy. Oh god what have I done? Just a baby... she was just a baby!" Sue pulled at her hair as Seth looked at his troubled mother, he knew then that he'd never be able to let her find out that the plan had been to harm them both once they'd got them to La Push. His mother had hated the Cullen's and had wanted Edward's death for what he'd taken from her but even Seth knew that his mother had offered to join them only to ensure neither were harmed.

"It wasn't your fault mom. It wasn't... no one will find out I promise. We'll make it go away. It's all going to be okay I promise." Seth said, reaching over to gently squeeze his mother's hand as she looked at him with tear filled eyes, then looking away from her son unable to keep his gaze. She was a killer now.

"Seth! Watch out!" Sue screamed; but it was too late. They'd barely even gotten to the end of the turn off from the Swan's home when she'd seen the blur, barely noticed it with her mortal eyes.

The impact was explosive; the sound of shrieking metal and squealing tires as the speeding car met an even faster immoveable object. Sue Clearwater had barely been able to see the coming blur. By the time Seth had turned to look at what had scared his mother he'd known but not had the reaction capability to move the car out of its path.

Edward had sprinted towards the car that was holding the two members of the tribe that had left his love for dead with no remorse. He'd driven his impenetrable body straight into the driver's side, he had felt every satisfying break of the cars body against his own as it bended and folded around him. He'd listened as Seth's heart had nearly exploded in his chest on impact as the shifter slammed through the front windshield and then flew across the gravel road.

The sound of his bones breaking with each bounce along the road from the velocity he moved, already dead an enraged fury filling him at his lack of foresight that Seth had died too fast. Edward swatted the car away, as it flipped and skidded to the side of the road, Edward not even giving the car or the people that peaked from behind curtains a second glance. He could already smell the blood in the air, not just Charlie's but Bella's too.

Edward ran to Bella. Finding himself pause in his horror of the scene that was left before Charlie's home. The ground torn up from the fight, pieces of Carmen shredded, bodies of young boys swollen and deformed from the effect of vampire venom being introduced into their system, Carmen had fought like hell to protect Bella but it had been for nothing.

Charlie already lay dead on the soft grass around his driveway, gun at his side and still in his police uniform. The anger and heartbreak at seeing Charlie dead tore at his soul; the most innocent of them all and he'd sworn to Bella, that Charlie would be safe. He'd failed his Bella, the sight of her slumped and against her father's cruiser, blood leaking from her so profusely. Carmen had managed to somehow move her body to one of her arms but was still crying out in her pain; Edward couldn't even think to help her though. Not with Bella so badly hurt, he swept in beside her on his knees, slowly moving her body away from the car and cradling her limp form in his arms.

"No Bella. Baby?" Edward whispered hoarsely, his fingers fumbling over her pale beautiful face, her own blood on her lips; he knew she was already close to death. He also knew that just as he'd feared when she'd been injured before that the loss of blood, the weakness of her heart might cause the change to fail. This time he had no other alternative though; he had only one option that could save her for him that could make this all right.

"Just hold on Bella. Fight for me, for us baby… don't you dare give up. You said we'd have forever." Edward crooned as he leant over her still body and sank his teeth into her soft fragile skin.

He didn't linger on the taste of her blood, he didn't dare to take too long as he injected his venom into her. Then moving along to the other side of her neck, sinking his teeth into her again, following a pattern over her body, biting over her collarbone, her wrists, even at her ankles he injected his venom. Her weak heart thudding so softly and out of pattern but he couldn't let himself think this would fail, if he even let himself believe she'd die he'd be no more then what Peter had been.

Edward moved the shirt up over her stomach seeing the awful wound in her abdomen, blood was still slowly seeping out of her, her life somehow still escaping from her, as he clung onto each irregular beat of her heart. His panicked words only for her but he had no idea to know if she was hearing him, yet he continued on as if the words would help him stay focussed.

He used his beaten and wounded hands to slip his finger inside of her, reaching for the fragment of a bullet that he knew was lodged inside of her. Sinking his teeth into the once smooth skin of her stomach, trying to aid the healing by forcing the wound to close shut and stop any more loss of blood. He knew she'd need that to survive and yet he still feared her heart wouldn't be strong enough to push the venom around her body to completely take on the change.

Finally able to feel the fragment of the bullet, he pulled it free from her and crushed it in the palm of his hand; he'd never even thought to worry over the dangers of human weapons to his mate. Just as his family hadn't thought to prepare for explosives in their own war, never again would he allow his family to follow such archaic ways.

They considered themselves part of the newer society and generation and yet they'd fought like their kind had always fought, he'd left his mate vulnerable to human dangers. Edward leaned down, wiping his tongue over the wound in Bella's stomach, trying to close it up as quickly as he was able. Forcing his hand into his own mouth and biting down at the back, much like draining a snake of venom as his toxic saliva dripped over the wound and he watched it slowly begin to close shut. It was the hitch in her heart that made Edward stutter on his movements, the whimpered sob that left his lips.

"Bella please baby. Fight... God damn it Bella fight!" Edward growled, his blackened hands moving to her chest as he started compressions, forceful and rough with her weak body trying to keep her heart pumping.

"Come on!" Edward roared as he could feel her ribs crack beneath his hand's, he was failing, and he was only going to make it worse for her; but he had to keep her heart beating, he had to ensure the venom reached her heart and the rest of her wounded body. He wouldn't accept her death; he'd not lose her too. He opened up his mind trying to reach Bella, the one person who would always foil him in a desperate attempt to somehow find her and reach her.

"You will not die Bella. You won't leave me!" He tried everything, knowing his gift would not aid him here even if he completely knew how to use it. Even as he tried to send the message to her mind much like he had with Jasper earlier, but he knew it wasn't reaching her. The gift that he needed now was blocked by the powerful gift his mate already possessed, though he doubted even his gift would stop death coming even if he willed or demanded it to stay back. Yet his hands continued compressions, gentler now, he could feel the taste of his own failure upon him, he'd left his mate to die, he'd left her father to die and he couldn't save them. He'd be left with nothing.

"No... I'm sorry baby please... I can't...Not without you." Edward cried into her neck, the weakened stuttering heart, pitter-pattering almost like the rain against the rooftop of her fathers cruiser. Edward's muffled scream of pain echoing, even while he tried to inject more venom into his mate's neck. It was the silence that echoed inside of Edward's entire body when Bella's heart stopped that seemed to close around him, when he realised he'd lost her. It was the sound of another heart though not far from this scene as humans began to gather around the discarded truck the woman who had taken Bella from him. In a moment when his entire existence lost meaning it centred on another slowing heart, one that's very life created a hatred so much stronger then Edward knew how to handle. The human.

"Edward wait!" Carmen cried out, just a torso and arm barely attached crawling her way towards Bella's body and Edward, but it was no use, her attempts to reach Edward, even her mental attempts fell on deaf ears. His sense solely set on one human, the thoughts that clouded her mind, the scent of her blood and even the heartbeat that still pumped in her chest. She'd taken everything from him and now he'd be sure to end her life.

"Wait!" Carmen cried out again as Edward moved towards the car, her broken body slumped over Bella's body now.

Edward felt eyes on him from porch steps along the road side, everything had fallen apart, the world had ended for him already; he didn't care for the consequences of his actions. Too much had been seen already, exposure was welcomed now, Edward didn't care that these human's would have to die, that everyone would likely have to die for the choices made. Edward only cared for making the woman who was encaged behind the twisted metal suffer in the last moments of her life.

People who recognised Edward and seen things that were unexplainable moved away from the car in fear. His entire appearance was something of horror to them, none dared to stand between him and the car. Edward reached the truck, ripping the door off without any effort, as he flung it aside and found Sue Clearwater looking up at him. Bloody and beaten from the collision, her lower body crushed, her femoral artery severed, she was bleeding out but paralysed from the waist down. Her death would come fast and relatively painless. Edward would make sure she suffered every second for what she'd done, he didn't care how much she pleaded, how much she apologised in her mind for the act she'd carried out. He didn't care that he saw she'd simply slipped in her shock at the gun going off and accidently fired; he simply didn't care about anything.

"I... sorry…" Sue stuttered out, as blood leaked heavily from her mouth, seeing Edward looking down on her believing it almost justice that he'd find her after she'd hurt Charlie and Bella.

"You deserve to feel pain. You should suffer. You're going to suffer." Edward snarled as he reached forward, clasping his hand around her throat squeezing so tight she couldn't even make a sound, closing off the air to her lungs as she felt the blood already clogging up her airways.

"My entire existence I've believed your kind above my own. I've carried shame for taking those who would harm others, my father taught me never to take a human life. Not even an evil one, as if your life has more meaning then any other's because you're human." Edward whispered harshly to Sue.

"But you're no better than me. I should have ended you all long before this day and now I've lost her. You took her from me; you've ruined so many lives Sue. Your people have ruined so many lives, it's time you saw." Edward growled behind gritted teeth, as his power reached forward and she screamed in pain as his mind attacked her own.

Forcing images and memories that he'd seen, showing her the despair of the people involved with the pack, the agony the council had created. Making Sue endure the pain of the pack as members died at Edward's feet, allowing her the knowledge of what the venom did to their bodies. Of Emily her niece, scared of the man she was forced to be with. Of Leah, not knowing who and what she was, loving a man who couldn't love her, the shame and guilt of being the killer of her own father. Edward made Sue live each agonized memory of Leah's last moments, thinking of Harry as she died from his venom.

Edward attacked Sue with his gift, as her eyes seemed wild looking at thousands of images her human brain could barely register, twitching almost as if she was having a seizure. Then stopping his talent as he slammed his hand into her chest and took claim of her heart, finding pleasure in her wide eyed disbelief as he held her very heart in his hand.

"Sorry... so sorry." Sue said between pained cries, her head still shaking slightly under Edward's hate filled gaze down on her.

"You took my heart, it's only justice that I take yours." Edward hissed as he pulled her heart from her chest, dropping it from his grasp as he turned to see the humans standing looking at him confused. None had seen what he'd done but all of them knew something strange was happening, they'd seen large wolves, seen a car hit a blurred object. Even seen the disturbing state of Edward himself, he felt rage at them all as they'd stayed hidden behind curtains and windows watching the scene play out, but none had thought to help his Bella. He felt his mind reaching out to them all, every selfish childish one of them, the very tentacles that he'd viewed through Eleazar's own gift. Each of them reaching out to all of the humans he could see in his mind, striking them down with the pain that he'd made other's suffer before.

"Edward!" Emmet called stunned.

"What the hell happened?" Emmet asked as he stopped in front of Edward, seeing the hardened glare, his face refusing to turn to look at him, Eleazar rushing off towards Carmen as Rose looked around at the humans she could see on their knees, clutching at their heads under Edward's control.

"Edward, stop. Your hurting them, they're just humans!" Rose rushed over, seeing that her brother was losing control of his gift, as Emmet looked between Rose and Edward placing his hand on his brother. He didn't understand why they weren't also suffering his gift, if all those around them were, unless he'd somehow found control.

"They did nothing, they watched as she lay dying!" Edward cried out wildly, slapping Emmet's hand away from touching him.

"Bella..."

"She isn't dead. Not yet, she's close. Edward I need your help." Eleazar yelled to him frantically, having taken over his mate's one-handed compressions of Bella's barely beating heart. She'd heard the stuttering and even listened brokenly with Edward as Bella's heart had stopped, Carmen even through her own pain could see the moment Edward believed he'd lost her. She'd been unable to reach him even as she'd clawed her way to Bella's body to continue pumping her heart for her.

"Edward now, son. If you want to save your mate I need you now!" Eleazar demanded of Edward, as Edward looked towards Eleazar confused, his mind demanding he punish the human's but also afraid to believe that there was still hope, that somehow she wasn't lost to him. He'd failed her he was certain of it. He'd killed Sue Clearwater for his failing to save her life.

"S...She… her heart… it wasn't…" Edward appeared before Eleazar as he continued working his hands over Bella's heart, Edward found himself sob into his bloody hand as he realised he could still hear her heartbeat. He'd walked away from her, he'd left her as she'd still continued fighting, he'd have lost her to his own rage had Carmen not been there to see Bella's heart had stuttered back to life.

"I. Carmen...I. Oh god Bella I'm so sorry!" Edward caressed along her face, as it seemed to twist in pain, her eyes beneath her eyelids were moving quickly, her hands beginning to squirm and tighten into fists.

"Edward focus. She's lost too much blood for the change, her heart is weak but this isn't a death sentence. I've seen worse conditions go on to be a success, do you understand? This change can and still will happen. We need to move her though. I need blood, I need as much as you can get your hands on and I need your venom." Eleazar said firmly, his hands never stopping the beat over Bella's chest as he kept his eyes focused on Edward's own red ones.

"I thought..." Edward shook his head trying to settle his mind, even though he found himself unable to understand what he needed; he had to save Bella though.

"We have blood. Carlisle… he always kept bags of her blood just in case of any type of emergency. Just tell me what I have to do and I'll do it, anything to keep her alive. I thought..." Edward shook his head again, struggling to even allow himself to think of how close he'd just come to letting her die, he felt disgusted with himself. With his own desire for revenge it had almost cost him his mate.

"During my first few years in this life some vampires still believed that to change a human you needed to drain them completely first. Of course it didn't work, but there were some. Some that managed to get enough venom into the human that it helped.

We need to give her a transfusion but the blood that we give her needs to be laced with venom Edward. It'll work, the heart has to die eventually for the change to work, and we just have to keep her heart beating long enough for the effects to take place." Edward nodded taking in Eleazar's words and seeing the memories and thoughts that he broadcasted towards him. Edward couldn't believe how strong Eleazar was holding himself together with the state of Carmen. Thankfully both Rose and Emmet were already helping to piece her together again; the humans that Edward had lashed out against were all unconscious though he knew that they'd already seen more than enough now.

"The humans saw Eleazar. The Volturi, they'll hear of this, we can't hope to keep this contained now." Edward said, his hand caressing Bella's face tenderly.

"I know. The explosion and fire has drawn enough attention, this will give them all they need to destroy us all. I know your main concern is Bella, Edward… I know asking you now is likely to make you overwhelmed but... Edward you need to use that gift. I know we don't know completely what you can do but we need it now, or we all die, the explosion and fire we can do nothing about; but what these people around here saw, that is something we can do something about. It's also what would appear to be the worst of our crimes; we can't be tied to the fires. This we can all be tied to." Eleazar said seriously, showing Edward in his thoughts that he believed Edward should attempt to force a command into all the minds around them so they'd have the memory wiped or at the very least have the memory forced to the back of their minds.

"I couldn't do that with you all around. I may even need to touch each human; you need me to help Bella. I can't be separated from her, I need to save her... I don't want to leave her side." Edward said, completely against the idea as one of Eleazar's hands pointed to Bella's bite on her neck.

"Bite her again." Eleazar commanded as Edward followed his orders without question, sinking his teeth back into his mate, releasing as much venom into her body as he could.

"I can use the others venom if I have too. It would be more beneficial to her receiving yours; however our venom would fight against one another, causing more pain during the transformation. Yours would work with the venom you've already injected. Edward you need to try, what good is saving her to only be destroyed later for revealing ourselves to so many, let me take care of your mate so you can save us from certain destruction." Eleazar said seriously with an edge of pleading, he understood the thought of allowing his mate to be parted from him would be all but unbearable after believing she'd died. Eleazar knew though that there was no other way that could save them, especially from this threat unless they were to do what he knew the Volturi would do.

"If you can't do it with your gift Edward..." Edward looked from Bella's face to Eleazar, understanding what he was trying to make perfectly clear to him through his mind.

"If I can't remove the memory. I have to kill them all. For the safety of our family." Edward said with complete acceptance, and finding it uncomfortably easy how willing he was to take the lives of these humans; his anger at them still there, his need for Bella to live so powerful that he'd take on that burden for his family.

"There are at least thirty heartbeats I can hear that possibly heard or saw something. We can't really kill them all, they're human, what would Carlisle think?" Rose said, as she moved beside Edward, gently touching his shoulder as he looked at her, she wasn't challenging him. Her mind worried that he'd never be able to live with killing those innocents, even if it was to save the family from exposure.

Edward strangely found himself not caring what Carlisle thought, the crimes his father had committed still sitting heavy over him. Edward not knowing how he could love the man while hating the things he'd done, Edward knew that much of his reasoning for shame and guilt over taking human lives had come from Carlisle's teachings. Edward knew that humans were no different than any other creature, he'd held them to this unrealistic standard and it had almost cost him everything.

These human's didn't deserve to die for simply being in the wrong place but if it came to the choice between his family and these strangers, Edward accepted that it wouldn't matter how innocent they were. He had to accept that he really was a vampire and his own came before anyone else's, he'd accept his father's hate from the other side if he could keep them alive. He'd do what not even his saintly father had been able to do and keep his loved ones alive, he'd already lost too many.

"If I'm unable to use my gift and make them forget. I'll take care of it, we can't create any more reason for the Volturi to believe us rule breakers then we already have." Edward said, looking to Rosalie and seeing that she was accepting of what he said. He saw the scarring along her cheek and neck from the fight, and noticed as she tried to turn her face away from his eyes. Rose had certainly shifted in some of her anger from what had carried out on the battlefield; he was relieved he'd not have to fight with her over this choice. He didn't wish to take any human lives, Edward wished for the death to finally stop; but for his family's safety he'd commit any sin he had too.

"Rose you drive them back to our home, Eleazar can focus on Bella and Rose can help with getting the supplies. I'll stay with Edward." Emmet declared as he shifted Carmen at his side, opening the door of Charlie's cruiser and placing her in the passenger's side.

"Emmet you don't..." Edward stopped as Emmet held his hand up to stop him from continuing on.

"If you can't mind freak them, then we do it together. I don't look forward to it but I won't let you carry that alone. I should have helped before, should have been strong enough to help with the burden. This time I won't let you down little brother." Emmet said, Edward seeing that nothing he said would change his decision, Eleazar shifting Bella's frame as he moved to pick her up and place her in the car's backseat with him.

"Don't worry Edward. I'll do all I can to ensure she becomes one of us." Eleazar looked from Bella, her heart almost sounding steady as she whimpered, Edward feeling the instant relief and then discomfort he knew that soon enough if they could ensure that her transformation stabled out, she'd be begging for death to take her. That she'd suffer through the burning hell that all of them did to become what they were, he found it so very strange to him that now he found himself hoping for her pain just to know it was working.

"Edward, remember… the gift you have isn't a curse. Remember it is part of you, don't try to control it; let it help you. Guide it how you wish it to work; we need this to work now Edward. This is life and death, if we are unable to make them forget the Volturi would have all they need to destroy all of us; even your Bella." Eleazar knew exactly what he was doing, trying to place the fear in Edward of near certain death to not only himself but his mate, hoping the natural instincts they'd tried to repress with his gift lashing out to ensure this was a success.

Edward nodded with clear concern etched over his twisted features, moving towards the cruiser and leaning down to stroke his fingers -beaten as they were- through Bella's long hair. Pressing his lips to her forehead as he felt the tremble beneath her skin, her heart slower then he would have liked, but it seemed to be beating without any assistance at least now.

She smelt of him completely, the venom already heavy in her blood, but he knew that he'd still need to have more introduced into her body to ensure her change went along more traditionally. He wouldn't leave any of this to chance, his only way of even being able to consider parting ways with her for the short time was that he knew how serious a situation they were in.

Edward trusted from seeing Eleazar's very thoughts and memories that he'd be able to make the change complete, seeing even then the discomfort washing over Bella's fragile body eased some of Edward's concern. Even though her pain would destroy him for what she'd have to suffer to be his, at least knowing that the change was happening would allow him the freedom of any despair that she wouldn't make it through.

"I love you Bella. I'll be with you soon. Three days my love, just three more days we have to fight through and then nothing will ever part us again." Edward whispered for her only as she cried out, even in his hatred of her pain he felt the weight of his fear lessening.

"She's strong Edward. Stronger then even I thought, now go. Take care of this and we'll ensure that Bella is given the only comfort we can offer through this time." Eleazar said while Rose started the engine of the cruiser, Edward feeling the hollowness as he turned to see Charlie's body laying there still unmoved. Bella would survive her transformation he had to be certain of that, but Charlie, her father had been lost and he'd not been able to keep the promise he'd sworn to Bella that they'd ensure he was safe even once they left.

"I want to take care of Charlie first." Edward said solemnly, as he turned towards Emmet, both men feeling the weight of this human's death at the consequences of their war against the pack.

"He was a good man." Emmet said softly, squeezing Edward's shoulder as Edward with all the care and gentleness he could manage slowly moved to lift and cradle Charlie into his arms.

"The other bodies we dispose of, I don't care how. Charlie though, he was family, I want him buried, I want everything taken care of so Bella doesn't have to... We'll stage an accident, I want him to be remembered Emmet. I want Charlie Swan to have died and be remembered a hero, I don't care what must be done I want this for Charlie. He deserved better than this." Edward said firmly to Emmet, both men accepting that they'd have to create a way to have Charlie discovered. Emmet's mind already thinking of ways to stage a crime scene that Charlie could be found at shot and dead. Even considering times during the past when using Jasper's influence to create fake witnesses for certain events, clouding emotions.

"Anything for Charlie. We'll take care of all this Edward, once you've taken care of the humans. I know you can do it Edward, but once you've done this then you go home to Bella. You've done enough; let your family carry the burden now. We'll tie away the lives that we once held here in Fork and then we'll leave." Emmet said as Edward stepped into Charlie's house, and moving into the living room gently laying his body down on the sofa where Charlie's scent and even Bella's lingered strongly. Placing him down softly, moving a pillow beneath his head and raising his hand to close the brown eyes that were so similar to his Bella's.

"I'm so sorry Charlie. Sorry that I couldn't stop this. I promise you though, I swear beyond anything else on this planet that I'll love her forever. That each day I have with her she'll be worshiped and adored. I won't let her forget you; we'll remember that you tried to save her. That you loved her enough to let her go." Edward said softly, moving his healing hand to his lips and then placing his fingertips over the man who was supposed to become his father in law, forehead.

Edward had beaten the pack, he'd killed his enemy and even showed mercy to those who had not wished to fight, and he'd lost friends he'd known for most of his existence. He'd also lost the human male who had for so long distrusted him and yet Edward had always respected. They'd won the war but they had also lost so much.

Bella had lost her human life and her father; Edward had lost the false image he'd always carried of Carlisle and his years of abstaining from taking a human life. He may even if he couldn't find the will to control his power have to kill again, he wasn't sure of world that would be facing him in the coming days, but he knew it was forever changed for him and his family now. All he could hold onto was that once blinding vision of a life with Bella, forever, she'd sworn all she needed was him; she'd soon learn the heart breaking consequences of that choice now.

Three days of endless burning and she'd forever be as he was.


End file.
